Dark Spots
by CursedRedRose
Summary: Police AU. Hawkmoth is a vicious crime lord, holding Paris in his palm with his gangs of akumas, the most feared of all being his second-in-command Ladybug. When Adrien Agreste demands the case to track her down, he decides to go undercover as Chat Noir. He does everything right-except for the fact that he falls for his target. Has some language.
1. Chapter 1

_Hi and welcome to this new story of mine! I'm really excited for this one, I love crime stuff so this will be fun. This might go from a T to an M later if I decide to add some stuff so be on the lookout for that. Anyway please enjoy!_

"I'm not sure about this Agreste," The police chief frowned as he looked through the papers in front of him. The sound of their rustling filled the office as he sorted through them compulsively. "I mean, your record is excellent, all your previous cases are flawless, but this… this is a whole different board game son. Solving strings of burglaries and tracking down dealers is one thing but taking down Hawkmoth and his akumas is quite another."

"I understand that Sir," Adrien Agreste answered, his voice clear and confident as he spoke. "But I do believe I can still be a valuable asset to any team wanting to take them down. I've lived in this city my whole life, I've seen what Hawkmoth has done to it and I want to see him and the others who terrorise it brought to justice. I may be younger and less experienced than some other members of the force but that doesn't mean I'm less capable."

The chief let out a long sigh. He could tell he was getting nowhere with him; the young man seemed determined to work the case and he was fighting a losing battle. He glanced up from the paperwork he had been presented with when he had walked in and studied the man who stood on the other side of his desk. Despite the long list of achievements he had, one any old officer would have been proud to have, he looked barely more than a boy. His short golden hair that swooped across his scalp in long flicks wouldn't have looked out of place on a cherub and his large meadow-green eyes could have belonged to a baby deer. However, he was also tall and clearly physically fit, with toned limbs and an angel-crafted face that easily made him a heart throb. He was standing with his back straight as a column and his blue uniform was immaculate; there was nothing the chief could fault him for and that was what made him so infuriating to argue with. Everything he said was met with a smooth reply that he couldn't respond to and he was quickly running out of reasons. He ran his fingers through his thinning red hair and decided to try one last time.

"That's all well and good Agreste, wanting to protect your city, it's what we strive to do every day here. But if you take this case you won't just be tracking down Hawkmoth-you'll be going after Ladybug too."

"Oh?" That finally seemed to get a reaction from the blonde; his eyes went wider and his mouth hung open in a small oval. The chief pounced on this, leaning back in his chair as he began to talk, waving his arms around like he was fanning smoke away.

"Oh yes and in many ways she's just as dangerous as him, if not more," He went on. "He's their leader, yes, and he's the one who plans and organises their schemes but she's the one who actually does 'em. She's the one actually out on the streets, striking terror into people's hearts as his second-in-command. And the worst thing is, she's the one we know the least about. Barely anyone has actually caught a glimpse of her and those who have seen her are too scared to talk. Even the worst criminals in this city are frightened of her and if you went after Hawkmoth, you'd have to track her down as well." He leaned forwards and wove his fingers together as he rested his arms back on the desk with a sense of triumph. Surely the boy wouldn't be that stupid to want the case now. Every other officer had stayed clear of it once Ladybug's name had been attached. "So you see my boy, you really don't want this case. Of course I perfectly understand why-"

"Actually Sir, I do still want it." Adrien spoke up and the chief looked at him in astonishment, his mouth now the one hanging open. "I already expected that I would have to go after Ladybug to get to Hawkmoth-she is his second-in-command after all-and so that doesn't worry me. In fact, I would almost say it inspired me to go after this case. I want to see her held accountable for her actions and I want her unmasked so she and her associates will no longer be a threat to Paris."

The chief stared at him in disbelief before his shoulders slumped. He really did want the case and there was now literally no reason for him not to give it to him. Almost all of his top officers had worked on the cases of the frequent akuma 'attacks' as they were known but all had failed to get anywhere. It couldn't hurt to give this boy a crack at it surely? He would probably come back to him in a week begging to be put on something else anyway. After a long moment, he sighed again and gave his answer.

"Alright Agreste, you can have the case. I give you full permission to reopen it and take charge. I must say, you are probably the only officer in the entire department who wants this weight on their shoulders so you'll find it difficult to make a team. Do I make myself clear?"

"Perfectly clear Sir," Adrien beamed, his excitement obvious in the cheerful way he scooped his papers back up. "But you don't need to worry, I already have another officer who is willing to work with me on this and he's helped me with many of my cases in the past so I trust him with my life. Thank you Sir, I promise I won't let you down."

With those last words, he turned and left the office, his feet itching to jump their way down the corridor but he restrained himself as he calmly shut the door behind him with a last parting smile. The chief heard him practically dancing away and he chuckled. That boy really doesn't know what he's letting himself in for, he thought. I only hope he figures it out sooner rather than later.

OOO

"Yes!" Adrien cheered quietly as he allowed himself a tiny fist pump. This was the best thing that had ever happened to him, besides passing the exam to get on the force of course but even that had felt nowhere near as good as this. He had been longing for this moment for his entire career and he had planned everything so meticulously but he still couldn't believe it had come off so well. And now he was in charge of the case and he was going to be the one to bring down Hawkmoth and Ladybug too. She was the key to getting to him, he was certain of it, and this is what was going to help him solve this case once and for all.

He heard a voice calling him and he looked up and smiled at the sight of his best friend Nino Lahiffe waiting for him at the end of the corridor, two coffees already prepared in his hands. The young man was almost as tall as him and had a similar build but that was where any similarities ended between the two of them. Nino had dark black hair that was permanently scruffy from the baseball cap he wore whenever he could get away with it, his eyes and skin were both the light brown colour of the coffee he was holding and his broad nose held up a pair of thick black-rimmed glasses that he was practically blind without. Around his neck were the bright orange headphones that never left his person and he had a wide grin on his face. Nino was naturally outlandish, always making jokes and being told off for playing his music too loud, but nobody could help liking him. Personality-wise, he was a striking contrast to the more reserved and focused Adrien but the pair had been inseparable since their days at the police academy and always worked their cases together. Adrien had saved his life tons of times before and Nino had done the same for him on many other occasions, which was why Adrien knew he couldn't work this case without him.

"Yo dude! Did you get it?" Adrien was overexcitedly greeted with as his friend handed him one of the coffees, nearly spilling some on the carpet in his eagerness.

"You bet I got it. Welcome to the official team working to bring down Hawkmoth." Adrien grinned back at him as Nino let out a loud whoop that made several people nearby cover their ears.

"Yes mate!" Nino whooped again as Adrien laughed. He held out his fist and he bumped it excitedly, again nearly sending a tidal wave of brown liquid to the floor. "I knew you would! You've been working towards this for ages bro, I thought you were going to give yourself a headache with all this!"

"Yeah me too but now the real test begins Nino," Adrien said, more serious now as he started to drink the coffee. As usual it wasn't sweet enough; Nino always forgot Adrien liked his coffee to be almost charged with sugar and he never put enough in. "Getting this case was easy compared to what we have to do now, actually bring them in."

"You're telling me," Nino gave a grimace as he sipped on his own drink before he shot his friend a sly smile. "But you wouldn't be Adrien Agreste if you didn't already have a plan, am I right?"

"You know me way too well," Adrien smiled back as the pair headed down the corridor towards their shared office. "It's only going to be us two, but that's all we need for this to work."

"So what is the plan?" Nino asked as they reached the office door and he held it open to let his friend through. Their office was snugly tucked away at the end of the corridor and was shaped like a Tetris block, allowing just enough space for two desks and a few filing cabinets. It was easy to tell whose space was who's; whilst Adrien's half was neat and organised with everything there being strictly for business purposes, Nino's was close to being a fire hazard with the large stacks of paper he had about the place, the millions of photos he had on the walls donated by his family and the boxes of junk food spilling out of his wastepaper bin that he only took out when forced. Adrien had tried to make him more organised but it hadn't worked when Nino told him he already knew where everything was. "It's organised chaos bro." He had told him and after an almost hour long argument on what a stupid statement that was, Adrien had given up.

"The plan is, we need to figure out how the akumas work, how they function as a group, how close they are, what makes them tick, you know what I mean?" Adrien explained as Nino nodded. "The problem is, besides their various personas and their special talents, we don't know too much about them and we know even less about them as a group. So what we need is to separate one of them from the rest and, once they are alone, make them spill a few details." He looked back at his friend and saw he already looked buzzed for it, though that might have just been the coffee.

"I like this plan," He affirmed with another nod. "So how are we going to get one bird away from the flock to make it sing?"

He laughed at his own metaphor and Adrien rolled his eyes at him before continuing. "Well, first of all I analysed the pattern of akuma attacks in different areas of Paris and also looked at which akumas have been present at each attack." As he spoke, he dived under his desk and returned with a map that he rolled out with great ceremony on the wooden surface like it would lead them to the Holy Grail. It was marked with several different coloured circles and Nino stared at it with wide eyes.

"Dude you are literally obsessed with this."

"I'm not obsessed, I'm just prepared Nino," Adrien huffed a little before continuing. "I'm hardly going to walk into something like this blindly. Anyway this makes me believe that the akumas tend to work in groups of around six each time and these groups are always the same. We want to go after the one with Ladybug so we're going to need to work around this area." He pointed to the largest circle on the map which had been drawn out in red and wonkily circled some of the biggest and most populated districts of Paris.

"So we're just going to patrol around here and hope we meet up with them?" Nino asked incredulously. "Dude, I know you've narrowed it down but this is still pretty big. Please tell me you have something a little more specific."

"Actually I do ye of little faith," Adrien tapped the side of his nose and gave a cunning smile. "Let's just say I was talking to a little birdie-one of our snitches, you probably know the guy-and he told me that a certain shopkeeper who owns this store has recently upset Hawkmoth by backing out of a deal last minute. Guy got cold feet it seems." Adrien got out some photos from his drawer and Nino's nose wrinkled as he recognised the place. From the outside, it looked like any old liquor store but the whole department knew some pretty shady deals had gone on being those shutters, deals that had sent the police to that door on numerous occasions. "That means the place is due for an akuma attack any time soon. Hawkmoth won't want to be seen as somebody to cross." His finger traced the red circle for a brief moment before he turned to his friend with a smirk. "So, you up for a stakeout tonight?"

Nino's face broke out into a giant grin as he swallowed the last dregs of his coffee and lightly punched his friend on the shoulder. "Bro, do you even need to ask?"

OOO

"So, the plan is just to sit here and wait until the akumas pop out from wherever they are hiding and then nab one of them?" Nino asked as he drummed his fingers on the top of the steering wheel.

"I would have put it a bit more eloquently than that Nino but yes that is the plan." Adrien answered with a little sigh as his eyes scoured the area around him. They were sitting in an unmarked police car, an old black Volkswagen, that was positioned on the opposite side of the road to the store they were watching with eagle eyes. They had parked the car a little way down the road so they could also peer down the dark alleyway on it's right side and also placed it between two lamp posts so the car was shrouded in darkness. Both of them had their uniforms on but had draped hoodies over the top in case the road was being spied on and Nino was wearing his ketchup-coloured baseball cap to complete the look. The police radio was turned on so they could listen out and hear if any other officers on patrol had spotted them and they also had their handguns strapped to their legs, just in case. Adrien was on high alert, his face as close to the window as he could get it without touching it and his body felt like a coiled spring with all the tension that was building inside him. He was so tense that when he heard a small rustling sound behind him, he nearly jumped out of his skin and spun around so sharply he only narrowly avoided punching Nino in the face.

"Hey dude, you need to chill!" Nino snapped at him as he caught Adrien's flailing fist and firmly put it back down. "You're going to get me killed here!"

"Sorry, I guess I'm a little on edge." He answered apologetically before he saw what had made the rustling noise. "Doughnuts? For God's sake Nino, I thought you hated cop stereotypes!"

"I do but these are too delicious!" Nino said with a mouthful of sugary doughnut. Crumbs flew out of his mouth as he tried to speak through it and Adrien gave a scowl as he flicked the soggy crumbs from his face. "Aw don't look at me like that bro, I'm sorry. I got you your favourites too."

His hand went under his chair as he brought out a small box with two curly golden letters on the top, a D and a C, that swirled in and out of each other like they had been frozen in a dance. Adrien's face lit up as he took the box and when he opened it and gazed down at the contents, he looked like a little kid on Christmas.

"Macaroons!" He beamed down hungrily at the neat rows of candy-coloured delicacies and Nino smiled as he wasted no time in shoving two in his mouth. "Mmmmm, these are so good!"

"I know how to cheer up my best friend." Nino said as Adrien swallowed those two down and instantly popped another two in his mouth, one in each cheek like a chipmunk. "So what's got you so jumpy? We've done about a thousand of these things, this is just another."

"Yeah but it's never mattered this much before." Adrien replied as he looked back out over the empty quiet street. "I really don't want to muck this up Nino. I've worked so hard to get this far and this is putting both our reputations on the line. I don't want to be the latest person to walk back to the chief and hand this back, I want to get this cracked."

"We will bro, we will." Nino put a hand on his shoulder reassuringly and made Adrien look at him. "With your level of dedication, how could we not? You always do what your mind sets out to do and this is no exception."

Adrien smiled gratefully at him as Nino gave his shoulder a friendly shake. "Thanks bro, I can always count on you for moral support and baked goods." Nino laughed and Adrien put the box of macaroons down, putting a last one in his mouth before he did, and the pair went back to staring down the street at the store.

"Hey Adrien, what happens, if they don't attack tonight?" Nino asked curiously after a long moment of silence.

"Then we come back tomorrow night and do it again." Adrien answered almost instantly, his eyes never leaving the road. "But I'm certain it will be tonight. I just have a feeling."

"A feeling, eh?" Nino chuckled a little. "Are you sure that's not the macaroons talking?"

"Shush!" Adrien's finger shot out and covered his mouth as the air around them suddenly seemed to get thicker. "Did you see that?"

"See what?" Nino asked before he was hushed even more violently than before and his head was pointed in the direction of the liquor store. Nino gasped. Moving around on the rooftop of the short squat building were a group of figures that appeared to have arrived out of thin air. He could make out their very different silhouettes as they moved about in the darkness and his eyes caught flashes of colour as they took turns dropping down into the building. There was silence for a few moments before the sudden sounds of screaming and glass shattering filled the air and the front door of the store flew open as a man came tumbling out, only wearing a vest top and a pair of striped shorts. He was closely followed by a screaming woman in a pink nightdress who fell over on the pavement and tried to scrabble up, looking like a fallen animal on ice as she constantly tried and failed to get to her feet and run. From inside, the sounds of wild destruction ran rampant and Adrien rammed himself at the car door.

"Now Nino!" He yelled as his friend followed him swiftly from the car and they ran towards the building, both of them grabbing their guns. "Get to the alley and make sure they don't escape that way!" He shouted at him and Nino gave a quick nod before he raced off into the darkness, leaving Adrien to run through the open door of the store.

"Police, stand down!" He yelled into the store as he charged in and was met with a scene of utter carnage. The akumas had only been there a few minutes but it had been enough time for them to wreck the place; most of the bottles on the shelves had been smashed and their contents were spilling to the floor in waterfalls of amber, the till had been cracked open down the middle and paper money was still fluttering in the air like snowflakes and from an open door at the back he could see they had also broken into the upstairs where the owner and his family lived and had destroyed that too. He ran towards the back of the store, mindful of the liquid and broken glass under his feet, and as he got there he could hear the thudding of footsteps as the akumas bolted from the store.

"Run!" He heard a female voice cry out and the sound sent a chill through him. That has to be her… he thought as he looked around frantically for their escape route. Spotting the side door that lead into the alleyway was swinging madly on its hinges, he ran at it and sprinted after them, his heart pounding in his chest as he fought to catch up. He could see their figures up ahead and saw one was lagging a little behind the others, getting slower as he continued to chase them through the dark maze of the alleyways. He gritted his teeth and drove himself forwards. If he could just catch up…

He looked up and saw they were heading for a dead end, any exit blocked off by a large concrete garage building. He smiled as he tried to sped up. Surely they couldn't get away now. However, his joy turned to horror as almost the second they reached the wall, he watched the first five figures leap into the air like acrobats, some scaling the walls and some appearing to fly as they made for the roof. He almost stopped in his tracks at the crazy sight but he kept running when he realised the sixth figure was nowhere near the wall yet. He ploughed on determinedly. He was not going to be another failure…

Just before the figure reached the wall, something came flying out from the shadows on its left side and tackled them to the ground, pinning them there as they fought like a wildcat to get free. Adrien ran over and saw it was Nino. He looked up at Adrien and gave a grin before the akuma underneath him gave a scream and he had to wrestle even harder to get them to submit.

"Don't just stand there bro, help me!" Nino snapped and Adrien rushed to his side so they could each grab an arm and haul the akuma upright. They thrashed about as they dragged them into the light and Adrien realised that the akuma was a young woman. She gave him a snarl as she tried to shake them off her but he quickly pulled her hands behind her back and clicked a pair of handcuffs around her wrists, rendering her incapable of fighting them.

"Mademoiselle, you are under arrest for heavy vandalism and breaking and entering," He said clearly and firmly as he and Nino led her struggling form from the alleyway. "You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you say may be given in evidence."

His only answer was a low growl but he didn't even care. He had captured an akuma! He felt elated as he knew he was now finally on the way to figuring out who Hawkmoth and Ladybug were. This could not have gone better.

As they walked away, he heard the slightest sound from behind him, like the gentle tread of a single step followed by the twang of a wire. He looked around him to see nothing but he still felt a shiver of cold like something had been watching him. He shook his shoulders to get a grip on himself and Nino looked over at him worriedly.

"Hey dude, are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Adrien replied quickly as the akuma again tried to jerk away from them. "Let's just get her back to the station. Then we can have a little talk about who she's working for."

OOO

Back at the station, the chief was just packing up the last of his things after a long day at his desk. He thought happily about the hot dinner that would be waiting for him at home and hoped it wasn't too late for his wife and daughter to still be up. He whistled a tune as he left his office and went to lock it, his mug rimmed with the ghostly stains of his previous drinks precariously balanced on the top of his belongings. He had just pulled the key from his pocket when a young officer ran up the corridor towards him, shouting out loud like he was being chased.

"Sir! Sir! You'll never guess what has just happened!" The woman gasped out as she came to a halt in front of him, her auburn hair flying from her neat bun as she heaved. "Officers Agreste and Lahiffe have just returned to the station!"

"They have? Already?" The chief answered with a chuckle. "Do they already want to give up? I guess I should have seen this coming-"

"No Sir, they haven't given up!" She interrupted, unable to hold back the news much longer. "They've arrested one of Hawkmoth's akumas Sir! She's here in the station, waiting to be questioned by the pair of them!"

At first there was no answer. Then there was a loud shattering sound which made her flinch before she looked at the chief. He was standing there stunned, his face looked bewildered as the remains of his coffee mug littered the floor at his feet, the white shards vivid against the carpet. Once again, Adrien had left him with nothing to say.

 _You do not know how much I am looking forwards to writing the rest of this, surprisingly for me, I actually planned this out on paper and everything instead of just going with whatever I think of at the time. This will be fun. :)_

 _Also I recently found out on Tumblr that Nino's surname is Lahiffe which I was very relieved about because otherwise I wouldn't have known what to call him. Calling him Nino the whole time just seemed too formal for the police force anyway._

 _Anyway, please leave a review, they are literally what fuels me!_


	2. Chapter 2

_Wow... I got so many incredible responses from people, thank you all! I didn't imagine it would ever be this well received!_

 _To answer a few people's questions, I'm planning on updating this about every four/five days, though this will largely depend on how long the chapter is and how important it is in the story as I tend to edit those more. As for the rating, I don't know if that will change... I'll have to see what people think and go from there._

 _Anyway please enjoy the chapter!_

"Are you ready for this?" Nino turned Adrien as they both stood in front of the big black door that lead into one of the interrogation rooms. Behind that door was the akuma they had arrested earlier who, despite struggling when arrested, hadn't said a word since they had arrived at the station. That had been nearly an hour ago and the pair of them had spent the time since prepping for their second encounter with the strange young woman who they knew next to nothing about except of course for her akuma persona. There was still a part of Nino that couldn't believe this had gone so well. So many top policemen with honours that outstripped theirs ten times over had gone nowhere with this case yet he and Adrien had managed to capture one in a matter of hours. He studied his friend's face and saw the determination there just from the way he was looking at the door like he was ready to break it down. That was just Adrien's way, he thought, when he gets his teeth into something, he just won't rest until he's completed it, no matter what he has to do.

Adrien looked over at him, a sly grin on his face that Nino quickly found himself returning. "I was born ready for this." He answered, taking a sip of the hot coffee he had just made for himself and Nino. This time it was just right, he could practically feel the electric sweetness at the back of his throat and it felt like it was spurring him on. "Remember what we planned?"

Nino rolled his eyes. "Dude you only went through this five minutes ago. I'm good." Adrien chuckled as Nino put his hand on the door knocker, tensing his fingers to turn it. "Let's do this bro."

Adrien only gave a nod as they entered the room and went straight to the table that sat in the middle of the room that would have otherwise been bare. There were two empty chairs on one side of it and he took one and rested his coffee and his papers on the table space in front of him, not looking up at the figure he knew was sitting on the other side of the table. That was his first tactic; ignore the akuma completely for a while to make them uneasy and make them sweat a little. He felt Nino sit in the chair next to his and he took the opportunity to shuffle the papers a little whilst Nino took a long sip of his coffee. It was only after a long moment of silence had passed in the small grey room that they both looked up and took in the woman that was in front of him.

The first thing that struck them both was how young she looked. Even though she couldn't have been older than them, the way she was sitting alone in her chair made her look like a lost little girl. She was partly slumped but they could still tell she was tall and under her akuma costume, her frame was very skinny. Her outfit consisted of a pink Lolita style dress with long sleeves that puffed out at the shoulders, a high neckline with a large pink ruffle detail that stuck out from the joint of her neck and shoulder and a bell-shaped skirt with a white lace hem that ended at her knees. The dress was patterned with what looked like staring white eyes and the effect, Adrien had to admit, was uncanny as they appeared to be staring at him in judgement. Underneath the dress, she wore a pair of bright pink tights in the same shade as the dress and a pair of pink wedge-heeled boots that were so high the two of them wondered how she could walk in them let alone run. The hat she had been wearing was sat crumpled on the table in front of her, sagging as the three pointed corners that made it look like a jester's hat drooped like wilting flowers. Without her hat, her hair had been unleashed and it spilled down her back in a cascade of black that ended at the tips in a deep violet. Her round face had been plastered in thick white make-up when she had arrived but that had been wiped from her face, along with the heavy pink eyeliner and false eyelashes. The smears of it still left on her pale skin made her look even more vulnerable but the look on her face told them she certainly didn't feel that way. Hazel eyes glared at them darkly from underneath a sweeping purple-tipped fringe and her lips, still faintly tinted purple from her bright lipstick, were set in a grim line. When Adrien met her eyes she gave him a scowl that could have melted steel but he just gave a casual smile whilst Nino started up the recorder. As his friend spoke clearly into the machine, he made sure his eyes never left hers and she did the same, her angry gaze unwavering.

"Alrighty then," Nino suddenly said, his voice appearing to echo slightly in the empty room. "Could you please state your name for the recording."

"Reflekta." She answered with a growl as she turned her eyes towards Nino, giving him the same look. He looked a little perturbed by it but Adrien kept the smile on his face as he then spoke.

"No mademoiselle, we didn't ask for your akuma name, we already know that." Reflekta gave a loud sniff as she leant back in the chair, her eyes glowering like hot coals at them both. "We asked for your real name."

"I told you, it's Reflekta," She snapped at them angrily. "And that's the only name you're going to get out of me."

There was a long moment of silence before Adrien clicked his tongue and shuffled his papers again. Nino couldn't help being impressed; Adrien had always been good at hiding his true emotions from people to the point where even he didn't know what was passing through his mind. "Very well," He said calmly, causing her to look at him surprised. This was his second tactic; he had known she wasn't going to give them her real name and his plan was to drop it and hopefully lower her guard a little before he hit her with the harder questions. "How about we ask you instead what you and your friends were doing earlier at that particular store?"

She snorted. "Why the fuck would I do that?"

Nino raised his eyebrow at the sudden language but his only other action was to drink a mouthful of coffee. Adrien did the same, their movements almost fluid with each other, and they could see the flicker of confusion that passed over her face. Now was the time to apply some pressure, Adrien thought. This was going exactly as planned.

"Indeed. Why would you tell us?" He said smoothly, using the same voice he had used on the chief just a few hours ago. "You know we have plenty of evidence to send you to prison already. We have you down on vandalism charges, breaking and entering, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage…"

"Not to mention all the things you've done in your career as an akuma." Nino's voice seamlessly tacked on to the end of Adrien's. This was another thing they had practised and they had done it for many years. They were now so good at it, their sentences practically danced together and the effect was very unsettling. They could see the uneasiness in her eyes that told them it was working. The air in the room was dripping with tension and it felt like it was pooling on the other side of the table. "If I were you, I would start talking."

She laughed hollowly, trying to make the sound powerful and carefree but it came out brittle and almost deranged. "You really think I'm going to do that? I don't talk to police." She snapped her jaw down on the last word, making her contempt for them clear. Nino and Adrien just exchanged a glance.

"Hmm." Adrien lightly hummed, as he separated a sheet of paper from his stack. "Maybe you won't for your sake. I know how deep your loyalty runs, I've seen it before." Her eyes narrowed at him but she didn't say anything. "But would you talk perhaps about your friends?" Her eyes flashed with surprise as he pressed the sheet of paper flat on the table, the blown-up image facing her. It showed a shot of them all standing on the roof, gathered around the point where they had entered the building, about to jump in. Six figures were huddled there and Reflekta's eyes went wide at the clarity of the image. The CCTV camera from across the street that Adrien had strategically angled had really outdone itself.

"We know the akumas work in gangs of about five or six," Nino said as she continued to stare down at the picture. "We know yours is the most senior group, led by the second in command herself. You see her there, don't you?" Nino reached and pointed at the bottom of the picture. One figure had already dropped down into the building and they were only a dark silhouette against the night. The only thing that could be made out was the outline of a head and shoulders with two pigtails flying out either side like wings. "We know you each have certain areas that you each call your own. We know each of you have special skills. What's yours again?"

"Disguise." She said bluntly, cursing under her breath that she had given them an answer. "I work on completely disguising people, helping them to come up with their akuma forms and then working out how to make that possible. If we ever need to go undercover," She went on proudly. "I'm the one they come to. I'm an expert in the art of not being noticed."

"Impressive." Adrien replied and she looked at him strangely. "That didn't quite work here though, did it?" He pointed down at the picture where Reflekta was standing there in her full akuma glory. "You're one of the most obvious ones." She growled at him but he just gave a smile. "You know that we targeted you, don't you?" Her eyes went wide again as she looked panicked. Nino kept his face blank. They both knew it was a complete bare-faced lie but that was their third tactic; make her feel like their group really was threatened.

"You didn't?" Adrien smirked as he went through the names. "We could target any one of these people next you know. Stoneheart." She gave no reaction. "Evillustrator." Still nothing. "Lady Wifi." Her face was set like stone. "Princess Fragrance."

At once, the name seemed to pass through her like electricity as her body shot forwards in the chair like she had been propelled and her breath hitched in what almost sounded like a name. She looked back up at them and the amber in her eyes was suddenly burning like fire. "You touch one hair on her head and I'll make you pay for it." She snarled and the two cops looked at each other in shock. They really had touched a nerve there.

"We won't have to," Adrien said as he swiped the paper away and tucked it back in the pile. "If you talk to us."

She bit her lip hard and suddenly went quiet, her skin as pale as her previous make up. They could see how torn she was in her face, torn between her group and this one member that clearly meant a lot to her. "I don't know how much I can tell you." She finally said honestly. "It's more than my life's worth. And Hawkmoth doesn't tell us everything for this exact reason, so we can't spill on anything. I don't know many of the akumas outside my own group. The only ones who know everything are Hawkmoth and Ladybug." She stared at them pleadingly and they could see she was telling the truth.

"We don't need to know much." Adrien told her, his voice softer. "We just need to know a few things. Do you know the real identities of the akumas in your group?"

"Yes."

"Are you going to give us any?"

"Not on your fucking life." She answered venomously and Adrien backtracked a little.

"OK. Did you know their identities from the start?"

She laughed again, the sound now mocking him like he had said the most stupid thing on the planet. "Of course not! That would be asking for trouble!" She stared at him levelly before she started to explain. "When you first become an akuma, you know nobody. You know them only by their akuma name and you only see them as their akuma selves. Being like this… It's like you are seeing the true side of someone, you see the deepest darkest side of them. Once you know that, you know them inside and out. It's only when you earn their trust will they tell you their identity and it is the same with you. Our identity is the only thing we have to show our trust-once you know someone else's real name, it is like a bond between you. You have to work at knowing everyone's names, it took a long time for me to learn all their names and equally it was a long time before I told them mine." She glared at them, feeling like she had said too much. "I'm not giving you any names mind, I value my head too much for that. Hawkmoth is good to us, he's a fair leader and he never goes back on his promises but that doesn't mean he wouldn't strike us down if we acted out of turn."

"I see. I won't press you anymore." Adrien said. His voice sounded a little distant and Nino gave him a strange look as he made to stand up. "One final question though. How did you get to become an akuma?"

Reflekta shrugged. "You have to get yourself noticed." She answered plainly. "You have to do something to grab Hawkmoth's attention. I did it by disguising myself as a man and robbing a bank. I was so convincing, all the police were searching for a man with blonde hair and blue eyes." She grinned and gave a cackle as she proudly remembered it before her attention went back to the two cops who had turned off the recorder and were walking towards the door. "But what has that got to do with anything?"

"Oh nothing." Adrien answered wistfully as he left the room and didn't look back. "Nothing at all."

OOO

"Dude, is something up?" Nino chased Adrien down the corridor, his arms full of the papers he had nearly left on the desk whilst each hand held at cup of rapidly-cooling coffee. "Why did you leave so suddenly? We were getting somewhere!"

"We did get somewhere," Adrien said, still strolling purposefully down the corridor at a pace Nino could only just keep up with. "We learnt how their group really works. I knew it was all trust based but to have it on that level…" He stopped suddenly and sighed, taking his coffee from a buckling Nino and sipping at it. "Hawkmoth really is good. He's got his organisation so tightly sewn up, they will do anything for him even if they are kept in the dark."

"Yeah it does look like it." Nino agreed, dumping the papers on the nearest available surface and staring at his friend. "What do you think she meant by he always keeps his promises? That's a funny thing to point out."

"I don't know." Adrien finished off his coffee in one gulp and looked intently down at the dregs in the bottom as he swilled them around like they could provide the answer. "Maybe he offers them some deal in exchange for working for him. Remember, we don't know a thing about their backgrounds and where they came from. They could be pretty desperate people."

"Maybe." Nino nodded in satisfaction. "At least we now know more about their group dynamic. It seems pretty tight though it must have taken them forever to learn each other's names. I mean, they could be literally anybody!"

"Literally anybody…" Adrien repeated like he was in a daze and his hand froze as the seed of an idea was planted in his mind. "I need to go talk to the chief."

"The chief's gone home man," Nino told him. "It's like the middle of the night, all the cops on the day shift are long gone. We should probably go home and get some rest ourselves, it's been a long day and we've done a lot already. Tiring ourselves out won't help us catch Hawkmoth." As if to prove this, he gave a huge yawn that felt like it nearly dislocated his jaw and Adrien could feel one of his own rising in his chest. He gave a nod as the pair made their way towards the front door, clicking at the lights as they went so the offices behind them were lost to the darkness.

"What will happen with Reflekta?" He asked as they stood in the doorway.

"The cops on night shift will take her back to her cell." Nino replied. "She'll probably be charged tomorrow with all the stuff we told her and I know no amount of money will get her bail. She'll stay here for a while which is good for us if we need to question her again."

"Yeah it is." Adrien yawned as exhaustion clamped down on his eyelids. His body was practically begging him to go to bed but he had to get to his flat before he could collapse. "I'm gonna head off now, I'm surprised I'm still standing."

"You and me both." Nino laughed but he looked concerned at how suddenly tired his friend was. "Hey do you want me to give you a lift home?"

"Nah, it's too far out of your way." Adrien said. "Besides I can walk there, it doesn't take long and the fresh air will do me good."

"Do you know what would really do you good?" Nino shot back with a sly look. "A girl in your life! You need someone to look after you bro, someone besides me to tell you to stop working so hard! Plus, there are some other perks…" He elbowed him whilst waggling his eyebrows and Adrien laughed as he shoved him away.

"Get out of here!" He said. "I don't need a girlfriend, I've told you a million times! I spend way too much time at work for that. And you can talk, your ass is just as single as mine!"

"Yeah but at least I've had girlfriends!" Nino defended himself. "I've never seen you show as much as a passing interest in one! Dude I was convinced you were gay at one point!"

"Nino!" Adrien shoved him again as he burst into howling laughter. "I'm only going to say this once, I don't need a girlfriend! Justice is my woman!" He declared, punching a fist in the air as he too started to laugh whilst Nino clutched his stomach. "I'll see you tomorrow. Have a good night!"

"Yeah, see you tomorrow bro!" Nino yelled after Adrien's retreating figure as he recovered and walked away from him across the car park. Even though it was summer, the night air still had a hint of bitterness to it and Nino could see from a distance how Adrien stuffed his hands in his pockets to fight the small chill.

Oh Adrien, he thought with a slight shake of his head as he got in his car and started the engine. What am I going to do with you?

OOO

The next morning Nino was the first in the office. His head still felt a little groggy from the late night he had had and the few hours of sleep he had managed hadn't seemed to help. He had only just sat in his chair and started looking for a pen when Adrien suddenly appeared in the doorway, looking rejuvenated. Even though he had gotten less sleep than Nino and had only just made it to his sofa when he did get home, his eyes were bright with energy and he was rushing to get started.

"Hey Nino!" He greeted his friend cheerfully. "I'm going to go see the chief now. There's something I need to discuss with him. While I'm there, you listen to the tape from yesterday, see if there's anything we missed or could be interpreted differently. I'll be back in a minute!"

Before Nino could reply, Adrien had already dashed off, moving like he was possessed until he reached the chief's door. He briskly knocked before the door opened in front of him and the police chief stood there, his mouth open when he saw Adrien standing there.

"Agreste!" He barked in surprise, standing frozen in the doorway for a moment before realising Adrien wanted to go inside and stepping away to motion him in. "I wasn't expecting you here. I figured you'd still be going over that akuma of yours." He shook his head in disbelief as he heavily sat down in his desk chair whilst Adrien remained standing. "I still can't believe you managed to arrest one. And in a matter of hours no less! Which one was it?"

"Reflekta Sir." Adrien said respectfully and the chief gave a low whistle. "She has actually been very helpful with our enquiries. At first she was a little reluctant but we won her round and she has given us some details which has given me an idea on how I can take this investigation forwards."

"Oh really?" The chief looked at him from under his cap as he raised an eyebrow. "What kind of plan?"

Adrien started to tell the chief exactly what he had in mind and with every passing minute, his expression looked more and more horrified. When Adrien had finally finished, his eyes looked ready to bulge from his head and his jaw was at his desk. Adrien, however, didn't seem to see this as he shot him a smile and said "So what do you think?"

"What do I think?!" The chief almost exploded. "I think you're insane! You can't seriously be thinking of doing something like this! Infiltrating a group like that… It's far too dangerous!"

"Believe me Sir, I know the risks of doing something like this," Adrien said determinedly. "And it is not something I've taken lightly. I've been pondering it all night and I've decided this is how we can move the investigation forwards. Nobody else has tried to get close to Hawkmoth like this and with an akuma in jail, this is an opportunity we won't get again. Besides," He gave a wide cocky grin that the chief had never seen before from him. "I think it will be quite a thrill."

The boy's gone mad. That was the only thought that entered the chief's head as he gave a defeated groan. "Agreste I swear you will be the death of me." He sighed and Adrien knew he had won.

"Thank you Sir." He smiled again, now looking almost as excited as he had when he had been given the case. "I only have one request Sir. Can you make sure nobody else knows about this? If my colleagues knew about it, I fear they would hold back in pursuing the akumas and that could easily rouse suspicion."

"Very well." The chief waved a weary hand at him as Adrien moved to leave. He had only just got in and already he felt like going to lie down. He took a long drag of coffee and turned to his paperwork, his mind still churning. He does look like he knows what he's doing, he thought as he saw Adrien stroll levelly back down the corridor towards his office. The question is, do I?

Adrien walked back to his office still with a big grin on his face and when Nino perked his head up at his arrival and gave him a strange look, his only response was to carry on smiling before ploughing into a pile of paperwork.

"Hey," Nino called over. "What did you go to the chief for?"

Adrien gave one look up and shrugged his shoulders. "Oh nothing," He answered in an almost bored tone. "Nothing at all."


	3. Chapter 3

That night, at approximately 11:32pm, the police were called to an upmarket clothes shop after a report of a break in. The neighbour had been frantic and caused the police to hurry there quickly, all of them thinking it would just be routine. The scene they arrived to, however, was chaos. The two large windows at the front had been smashed in and little daggers of glass littering the pavement, winking up at the officers from the light of their torches as they gingerly stepped over them. The mannequins wearing designer brands had been knocked to the ground with their broken limbs splayed out in frozen angles and their expensive clothes shredded into little more than confetti. The other clothes on the racks had suffered equal destruction regardless of their designer labels; some had been drenched in black paint that was still slowly dripping to the floor and creating dozens of tiny pools of black underneath them, some had been hacked from their hangers and laid around the shop like bodies and some had been piled in the middle of the floor and set alight, the ashes of silk and lace smouldering and releasing a burnt stink into the room. The till had been broken into and the tray hurled across the room like a curling stone, leaving a tide of coins spilling in all directions and leaving the officers to retrieve them from the corners where they had hidden.

When they had arrived, the officers had gone straight to the CCTV cameras only to discover their stalks had been snapped and their insides ripped out, the wires left to spark fruitlessly. They had been given only one clue; a giant black paw print painted on the back wall with the name 'Chat Noir' scrawled underneath, the letters still glistening. The area was quickly cordoned off with yellow tape and the shop was thoroughly combed from top to bottom but there were no other clues to be found. Whoever this Chat Noir was, they all thought grimly, they had left without a trace.

The shop owner arrived not long after the police, having been called by a neighbour, and started wailing at the sight, the ruined shopfront and tattered stock too much for her to bear. Several officers had to work at holding her up and calming her down whilst others had to hold back a wave of concerned onlookers. They were all so engrossed in their respective jobs that none of them looked up to the roof behind them. There, five people stood against the pale moon, watching the police come and go like hawks.

They all stood in a line so they could each get the best view and in their akuma forms, they all presented wildly different silhouettes against the moonlight, making them look ghostly. The first one to look away from the scene and glance worriedly over at their leader was the young girl on the far left. She was built like a pixie with a petite frame and delicate features on her round rosy face which at that moment was covered with a thick layer of make-up to hide her identity. The top half of her face had been painted black that curved over the bridge of her nose and ended in a swirl just under her left eye whilst the bottom half of her face was a green colour like the stalk of a flower with the lines of her pouting lips marked out in bright pink lipstick. There were coloured contacts in her eyes that made them glow an eerie pink that was the same colour as the spray she had put in her short hair. A pink bun of fake hair had been pinned to the top of her head with lines of black hair woven into it that made it look like a rose was growing from the back of her head. She wore a tight black top with a swirling neon pink rose on the front and slashes across it that revealed the pink vest underneath and a pair of matching baggy shorts with a pair of pink-heeled boots. In her hand she carried what looked like a perfume bottle turned on its side with a trigger that she gripped like her life depended on it and a vial of luminous pink liquid inside it. In the air around her, there hung a sickly sweet smell with a floral scent that nobody could quite pinpoint. It was her secret formula, a perfume only she could create as she had never told another living soul how it was made. Princess Fragrance leaned a little over the edge as the concern on her face became more evident.

"I don't like the look of this." She said, her voice soft and sweet as it rang into the night air. "First Juleka gets arrested and now this? I don't like it. Something smells funny about this." She wrinkled her nose to prove her point, a sad look appearing as she thought of her lost comrade.

At the opposite end of the line, there was a grunt of agreement as the figure on the end nodded solemnly. His build was the complete opposite of the tiny girl as his head towered above the others easily and he was built like a tank with an extremely muscular torso and more heavy muscles bulging from his arms that were the size of oranges. His face was set with a heavy jaw and his small eyes that glared out on the world were tinted yellow. His short black hair with one tuft of blond had been slicked back into a messy spike and his clothes were a simple grey vest top and trousers. His bare arms, shoulders and neck had been lavished in grey body paint made to look like rock and it was so realistic it looked like the rock was growing out of his skin. Grey paint had also been smeared over his face in the same way, mainly to hide the freckles on his cheeks which only just showed through the stone. He crossed his arms and gave a look towards Princess Fragrance, who beamed when she saw somebody agree with her.

"See? Stoneheart agrees with me!" She said triumphantly but she was cut over by the other male member of the group who standing next to her and was still intently watching the scene.

"This guy certainly isn't a professional," He mused, his thumb tapping at his chin. "Sure he caused a lot of damage but he let the damn glass get everywhere, he'll be covered in the stuff. And is that really his mark? That shoddy paw print? I could paint something better than that with my eyes closed."

His voice was smug as he twirled a thin pencil in one hand and leaned back from the edge, the jangling noise he made drawing attention to the belt of spray cans attached to his hips. Unlike Stoneheart, his body looked like a collection of reeds, only the tightness of his sleeves betraying the fact that he had some toned muscle in him. His hair was a wild mess of fiery red that stuck out in spikes that his beret was only just able to cling onto, the angle it was at making it look like it would slide off at any moment. He too had black painted over his eyes and forehead with two swooping lines pointing downwards over his cheekbones and the rest of his face was purple. His eyes gleamed turquoise under the moonlight as a grin came across his face, exposing very white teeth. His shirt was white with purple stripes that met in V-shapes pointing downwards and three coloured dots in a circle of black was emblazoned on his chest. He also had on tight black trousers and orange boots. Though his pose was very relaxed, the way his eyes kept darting over to their leader who stood on his left gave away his eagerness to please her. He watched her just as intently as he watched the scene below, like he was mapping her face to draw it, before he scoffed loudly.

"Whoever this Chat Noir is, he is clearly an amateur. We're wasting our time just being here."

"I wouldn't be so sure Evillustrator." A female voice contradicted him and he scowled over at the girl who stood on the other side of her. "I think this guy has style, he's certainly made a statement. And have you seen the way the police are sweeping the area? That means they are having to hunt for clues and by the look of them, they are getting desperate. The guy knows how to get away unscathed and that is a valuable skill."

Lady Wifi looked over at him, her gaze holding a challenge that dared him to argue further with her as she leaned with her hand on her hip that was jutting out as she leaned over the edge. Her skin was a light brown colour that was a few shades lighter than her chestnut hair which fell around her face in thick messy waves that were tinted red at the ends. Her hazel eyes were framed by a simple painted black mask and her broad pink lips were smiling wickedly at him. She wore a black cat suit with a white wifi symbol on her chest with white gloves, boots and a white belt around her middle. In one hand she held a phone that looked perfectly ordinary but it was secretly her tool of the trade and it rarely left her hand. When it did, it was clipped into a notch at her belt so it never left her curvy body. She turned away from the Evillustrator to look up at her leader and asked her "So Ladybug? What do you think of this Chat Noir guy? What should we do with him?"

The girl standing in the middle of the line gave a low hum, her wide crystal blue eyes never leaving the scene. "I don't know quite yet." She answered after a long pause. "I'm torn. On one hand, this is very sloppy work and he is on our turf so he needs a good lesson. On the other, you're right, he does show some skill and he left the scene clean-that's rare in a criminal these days."

They all looked at her to see she was in deep thought. Her face was smoothly blank but her mouth was squeezed to one side and the tip of her tongue was peeping out from the corner of her mouth, a surprisingly bright pink against the creaminess of her skin. She stood on the very edge of the roof but her face gave no hint that she felt any danger-danger seemed to surround her, the very essence of it pulsing from her every moment like electricity. Her ocean blue eyes watched every motion below her with the air of a predator watching her prey, slightly narrowed behind her cloth mask. Hers was the only one not painted on but the sight of the red domino mask with black spots was enough to strike fear into anyone's hearts. Her raven black hair was tied back in two pigtails with red ribbons that trailed behind her like streamers and she fingered the end of one ribbon as she thought, continuing to wrinkle her lips that were like petals. Her lean toned body was dressed in a cat suit of red and black spotted spandex that clung to every part of her with a short black tutu skirt around her hips that was marked with red spots. Her sleeves and shoulders were also black, covered in a thin gauzy material with red stops that showed a hint of her skin and her strong gymnasts arms. That material ended at her chest where it swooped into a sweetheart neckline before it went into the spandex that covered the rest of her torso and her legs. From her belt hung a spotted yoyo that she used both as a weapon and a way to swung around the city and her other hand hovered by it like she was on a permanent state of alert. Her eyes gave one last sweep of the scene before she turned to Lady Wifi with a wicked smile of her own.

"Do you really think he could be useful to us?" She asked and Lady Wifi gave a nod.

"I really do," She answered, earning her another scowl from the Evillustrator that she ignored. "We haven't recruited a new akuma for ages now and this looks like a good challenge. And what with the police finally seeming to pose a threat to us, we need as many of us as we can get."

"True," Ladybug purred, a small dainty smile on her lips that would have looked sweet on anyone else but on her looked sinister. "We do now have an opening in our little group." She turned her head to either side to look at the others before she said "I think we should see what this Chat Noir has to offer us. Who knows, he might have caught Hawkmoth's attention." Her smile grew a little wider when she looked over the paw print again, the black paint flashing as officers took photograph after photograph. "He certainly has piqued my interest."

"No objections from me." Lady Wifi gave her full support and the others soon agreed, seeing Ladybug's argument had merit. Evillustrator gave an angry mutter but he didn't object and Lady Wifi gave a hidden smug grin. She knew he had a crush the size of Paris on their leader, one she seemed oblivious to, and she found it funny how he got jealous of any potential new male coming into the group.

Just then, another police car pulled up to the scene and two new officers got out and headed straight for the broken window. Ladybug watched them both as they stared at the scene, one looking horrified, the other surveying it with anger. The horrified-looking one had his hands combing through his black hair, nearly lifting the red baseball cap off his head as he stared. He had dark skin and was wearing glasses and she heard him loudly swearing but her attention was mainly focused on the other cop by his side. He had blond hair like gold and his green eyes stared furiously from a face that could have been carved by angels. Even when he was frowning he still looked beautiful but that wasn't why Ladybug was staring, or that was what she was telling herself. The Evillustrator followed her gaze and when he caught sight of him, he let out a gasp.

"Hey!" He snapped, pointing at the two of them. "Those are the cops that ambushed us last night! They're the ones who are looking for us!"

"They took Juleka!" Princess Fragrance hissed angrily, brandishing her perfume gun. "I say we nab them now!"

"No." The one quiet word accompanied by a sharp gesture to back down was enough to have them all staring at her with wide eyes as they froze in place, some already with their foot on the ledge. "Not here, it's far too risky. Have you seen how many cops are swarming down there? We wouldn't make it out alive." Princess Fragrance gave a sulky look but she backed down, causing Ladybug to give her a softer look.

"Don't worry about Juleka. She's a tough girl, I know she'll be fine," She told her. "We just have to be patient and wait for this to blow over a little. In the meantime, however," She grinned as she looked down at the angelic-looking police officer who was making his way inside the building, looking around with an unreadable expression on his face. "I think I should have a word with this cop and welcome him to the neighbourhood. He obviously needs to be taught how things work around here."

 _So... the akumas... what do you think? I'm sorry this isn't the longest chapter but this week has been hectic what with my results and all... Anyway that just means the next chapter will come a little earlier! Please review and hope you enjoyed!_


	4. Chapter 4

"I can't believe we have to do this." Nino grumbled as he and Adrien set off down one of the small winding side streets, heading away from the wrecked shop as their torches created patches of light in the darkness. "We're meant to be working on our case to bring down Hawkmoth and Ladybug and what are we doing? Walking around in the middle of the night trying to find this random thief who is probably long gone by now. It's pointless." He gave a loud huff and Adrien had to chuckle at how childish his friend was acting. Nino was pouting like a stubborn toddler as they walked along and it was taking all Adrien's effort not to crack a joke about it.

"It's not that bad," He said. "You know what the chief told us, this guy looks to be a new akuma. He certainly isn't a regular thief-who would leave their name behind like that?"

"True." Nino answered still not sounding convinced. "I just think we should be focusing on the akumas we already know about instead of a potential new one. This could just be some cocky kid trying to look hard and this could all be a waste of our time. And anyway, what kind of a name is Chat Noir? It sounds pretty lame, don't you think?"

Adrien was thankful it was dark as it meant Nino didn't see the affronted look that briefly passed over his face before he wrestled it under control. "Maybe the guy thought it sounded cool." He said quietly and Nino loudly scoffed but he didn't say anything else. Adrien too stayed silent as his mind wandered to earlier when he had gone and crashed his way through the windows of the innocent shop that had been the casualty of his mission to attract the akuma's attention. He had to admit that he had felt almost liberated as he set to work destroying the place; it had given him an intense rush that he had never felt before, one that felt wrong but sickeningly good at the same time. He could almost understand why criminals did what they did if they felt that every time and just thinking of that made him feel guilty. He also didn't want to think about why he had chosen a designer clothes shop-he reckoned a psychiatrist would have a field day with it. He shook his head slightly like that could shake those thoughts away and instead focused on remembering whether he had cleaned the scene properly. Knowing what the police would look for had made it easy for him to remove any traces from the scene, he knew there would be nothing there to incriminate him. Still, he couldn't help but worry and he was so consumed with his concerns that he didn't realise Nino had been chatting away for the last few minutes and it took a light punch to the shoulder for his focus to come back.

"Sorry, what was that?" Adrien asked, still half in a daze as he rubbed his shoulder and Nino laughed.

"I was just saying that you look really out of it bro," Nino said, giving Adrien a look. "You should be home asleep instead of stomping the streets like this."

"I'm fine," Adrien insisted as he felt a yawn stretching in his chest that he refused to make. "Just need to get my brain warmed up a little. Test me on what we know about the akumas, that should wake me up a little."

Nino rolled his eyes. "Dude, I know you practically have that case file by your bed." He replied snarkily but he still obliged him. "Princess Fragrance. What's her speciality?"

"Chemical weaponry." Adrien answered without missing a beat. "She's perfected a formula that when inhaled at certain doses, will make a person do anything from fall asleep to carrying out her bidding. The mixture is sprayed from a perfume gun and forms a bright pink smoke in the air that smells sweet, witnesses describe it as a floral scent. One of the newest akumas to appear but that makes her no less dangerous."

"Alright." Nino gave a nod of approval. "Stoneheart?"

"He functions as the muscle of the group. Has been witnessed lifting heavy objects like safes and large boulders and throwing them like they were made of cotton wool. As well as strength, he also appears to act as a block for the others, taking blows for them as they don't appear to affect his bulk. Was one of the first akumas spotted and is suspected of having worked for Hawkmoth since day one."

"Good one, I like the added description. OK, Evillustrator?"

"Graffiti. Hawkmoth uses him to leave messages and threats around the city in the form of his art-his pictures strike fear into some people when they wake up to find one of his masterpieces on their front door. He also likes to leave behind artwork when they have had a particularly successful attack-I suspect he likes to mock us." Adrien's lip curled at the thought-he hated being mocked. "That right?"

"Eh, close enough." Nino grinned. They both knew he had got it spot on. "Lady Wifi?"

"Gadget woman. She's an expert in all things to do with tracking, cameras and especially the media. She's hacked into several of the biggest co-operations in France and she does it all from her phone. What she doesn't know about modern technology isn't really worth knowing. Those kind of skills are what people on this side of the law would kill for." They both chuckled at the joke before Nino asked about the last akuma.

"What about Ladybug?"

Adrien's face set into a firm expression. "Hawkmoth's second-in-command and leader of his most powerful and senior gang. She's feared across Paris by almost everyone even though many people know next to nothing about her. Even the police only have scraps of information about her. Her main weapon is a yoyo that she also uses to aid her in escaping as she uses it to swing away from police clutches. She's incredibly skilled in acrobatics and close combat, making her possibly the more dangerous out of her and Hawkmoth when it comes to fighting. The akumas all look up to her and see her as a powerful leader." He looked over at Nino and shrugged. "Is there any more?"

"I don't think so, you can relax now dude," Nino smiled at his friend, who seemed to have cheered up a bit. "Seriously, you're like a dictionary with this case. Do you know any of the other akumas outside of that one group?"

"I'm not as good with them but I can try." Adrien grinned at him. Nino opened his mouth to give him another name but at that moment, a loud crashing sound came from nearby and they both froze in place, their heads darting about to find which direction it came from.

"You go that way, I'll go this way!" Nino hissed out of the corner of his mouth and Adrien gave a quick nod before they ran in opposite directions, their torches held aloft as they looked around for the disturbance. His heart was thudding against his ribcage as he ran, like it was begging to be set free, but he continued to sprint, hoping he wasn't too slow to catch anything. It wasn't until he couldn't hear the sirens of the police cars around the shop anymore did he stop and take a look around. The thin dark street was unfamiliar to him and he felt his stomach sink when he realised he was lost. Damn. He thought, kicking at a nearby stone crossly. He was never going to hear the end of this from Nino.

"This is bad." He muttered aloud as he tried to look back down the dark path he had run from. "This is really bad."

"Oh I wouldn't be so sure." A sudden female voice drawled from nowhere in a way that made him freeze in place. His skin was prickling in fear as all the hairs on his body stood on end and he slowly went to turn around in the direction it had come from. "I'm sure I can give you directions. If you ask nicely."

Even though she was bathed entirely in the shadows when he first caught sight of her, he still felt terror stabbing him in the guts. He didn't need anybody telling him whose voice that was and as she slowly stepped towards him, casually rolling her yoyo string between her fingers with her eyes pointed on him like lasers, he stumbled back numbly, moving until he felt a hard brick wall behind him that made him realise he was trapped. His stomach lurched as she fully came into the light, enabling him to see her in her full intimidating glory. His breathing became laboured as he struggled to think of any words to say or think any thoughts of escape. Even though he had heard of her fearful reputation many times, he hadn't expected her presence to be this terrifying. He also, and he hated to acknowledge it, hadn't expected her to be that beautiful.

There was no denying that Ladybug was beautiful and no matter how hard he wanted to, he couldn't drag his eyes away from her. Her pale skin was glowing in the moonlight, making her look like a radiant being sculpted from the moonlight around them and her black hair was curling over her shoulders in their pigtails in a way that seemed to be begging him to run his hands through it. Her suit was emphasising every detail of her body as she prowled towards him like a panther, the skirt showing each sway of her hip as they seemed to move to a drum beat only she could hear. All that was enough to hold him there but it was her eyes that had him completely rooted to the spot; they were a deep blue that made him feel like he was drowning in the warmest ocean there was and he wasn't even making an attempt to save himself. She was now so close, he could see every fleck of colour in her eyes and when she curved her lips at him in a sweet smile, he couldn't help gasping her name.

"Ladybug…"

"Yes?" She purred in a voice that was so sultry, he could feel it going straight from his ears to the pit of his stomach where it tightened into a hot coil. "What can I do for you officer?"

Adrien was stunned into silence, the sheer closeness of the villainess he was trying to apprehend too much for his brain to handle. His mouth was only able to make a couple of noises that sounded nothing like words and it wasn't until she dangerously cocked her head to the side did he find himself able to control his tongue. He needed to tread carefully here, one wrong move and heaven knows what state he would be found in when the others realised he was gone.

"Maybe you could help us in our enquiries," He said, managing somehow to keep his voice light. "We're looking for one of your lot, a certain Chat Noir. He just broke into a clothes shop and we'd like to ask him some questions."

Ladybug looked at him with a smile before she burst out laughing, an oddly high-pitched sound that reminded him of bubbling water. "Chat Noir isn't an akuma. Not yet anyway." She told him and he felt a sense of victory run through him. His plan had worked! They were interested in him! However, all his excitement from his triumph suddenly faded when she stepped even closer, forcing him to press his body against the wall with all his might as she should just in front of him, barely a hands distance away. Her face was so close, he could see every one of the individual dark eyelashes that were fanning her eyes and when she peered up at him through them, he let out a little strangled gasp.

"I'm surprised you didn't know that," Ladybug purred at him. Her hand reached out for his chest and she pointed two fingers at him, making them slowly walk up his shirt towards his neck. "You know a lot about us akumas handsome cop." He felt his cheeks staining red at the nickname and he squirmed in embarrassment under her touch which he could feel burning into him. She looked up at him with a grin like she was about to devour him and in that moment, it didn't seem like a bad prospect. "I heard you just now with your friend. You knew us all of us off by heart. You were very generous with your description of me. I found it very flattering."

He could feel her fingers on his neck now as they continued up into his hair, ruffling it into fluff as they went. "What's your name, handsome cop?"

"A-Adrien." Was he stuttering now? And had he really just given her his name without a fight? He berated himself internally but he hadn't been able to stop himself. She had such a commanding air around her, he just felt compelled to obey.

"Adrien." She drew out his name like she was pulling on it, stretching out each syllable like it was bubblegum. "Well I have a little bit of advice for you Adrien. Just between you and me, our little secret." She leant in a little closer, both her hands on his chest as she used him as a leverage point, sending the butterflies in his stomach wild. "You should stay away from me and my fellow akumas. I know you recently reopened the case on us and I know you arrested Reflekta. You're probably on a high right now, thinking you finally have us cornered but you couldn't be more wrong. I'm advising you now to step away from this case… then I won't have to smash in this handsome face of yours." Her gloved hand stroked a line up his cheek and her smile this time was tempered with a warning. "Am I making myself clear?"

"Perfectly." Adrien answered as she pushed herself away from him and started to walk away. "However, I can't guarantee that I'll follow your advice. The problem is, I now see that as a challenge."

He watched her stop and slowly turn back around to face him again. For a split second he thought she would lunge for him but she only laughed again, the sound making him yearn for more. "Very well," She said, her arm arching through the air as she hurled her yoyo upwards like an Olympic athlete. "I guess we'll be seeing each other again then. I like you handsome cop, you have guts. Please… just don't make me have to spill them."

Before he could answer, she was gone, her body flying through the air like she really did have wings. He watched her disappear, his heart still pounding as he heard shouting from behind him as a person ran towards him.

"There you are!" Nino shouted in relief as he ran up to his friend who was still staring up into the sky like he had seen a ghost. "I've been looking all over the place for you! I didn't find anything my end, I hoped you had…" His voice trailed off when he realised Adrien wasn't responding and he gave his shoulder a shake. "Adrien? Bro, what is it? Did you run into a brick wall or something?"

"I think it was the or something," Adrien finally muttered and when he turned around Nino saw how pale he was. "Nino…what the hell have I got myself into?"


	5. Chapter 5

Every morning for the next week, the city of Paris woke to see Chat Noir's name written all over the headlines. Every night, there was a new break-in and every time it was somewhere different with only two things connecting his targets; they were all upmarket shops selling high class expensive items and they were all in the same district of the city. Some shopkeepers started sleeping in their shops, terrified of the new menace attacking their beloved business next and the uproar from the public was so massive, it overshadowed all of the latest akuma attacks. What really enraged the public and baffled the police was the fact that every time he left no trace except the black paw print that was always painted over one wall like he was marking his territory. Even when the police left some of their best gear and used some of their most effective methods, it was like he always saw them coming and managed to avoid them.

It's like he knows exactly what to look for, the officers muttered among themselves as they cleared up the latest scene of chaos. A jewellery shop, known to be frequented by many of the Parisian upper class, was the newest victim and had been attacked with a particular savageness that left the officers at the scene reeling. The windows were usually smashed in but these ones had been almost completely decimated with only the tiniest points of glass in the corners of the frames to show it had even been there at all. Gems, cracked from their settings of gold and silver, mingled on the floor with the broken glass, the diamonds looking like drops of water and the rubies like drops of blood. They all knew this would take some time to carefully clear up and the police set to work with heavy hearts, knowing it was likely they would be doing the exact same thing tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Ladybug and her group of akumas were watching from the roof again, this time keeping more of a distance as they crouched behind a wide chimney. Ladybug's eyes focused in on the now notorious black paw print that adorned the back wall and a smile played at her lips. Whoever this black cat was, he was getting bolder and she quite liked that. To a certain degree, you needed to be showy in this business, there was no fun in it otherwise. She wondered what he would be like when she met him, as she was certain she would. I hope he won't be disappointing, she wondered as she observed more police cars showing up to help put the destroyed scene back together. That would be such a shame.

She looked through the faces of the new officers that wearily walked over to the mess, wearing thick gloves and carrying bags to sort which pieces were jewels and which weren't, but none of them were blond-haired and green eyed. That's good, she thought with a little nod. Maybe my handsome cop is paying attention. She hadn't seen Adrien since that night last week where she had enjoyed teasing him greatly but she suspected that instead of taking her advice like a sensible person, he was just lying low, biding his time for something but she wasn't sure what. The thought was both unsettling (he had managed to arrest one of her gang after all) and exciting. I'd quite like to see him again, she thought. Playing a game with him looks like it would be a lot of fun.

When the police presence on the ground began to increase, she gave a swift gesture to the others before she began to walk away and they followed her wordlessly, moving away from the scene and further into the darkness as they skimmed across the rooftops. They were all light on their feet, even Stoneheart, after years of experience and they made no sound as they ran through the night, leaping over the gaps between roofs like they weren't even there. It wasn't until they were a good distance away from the last crime scene, almost at the edge of their district, that Ladybug made the signal to stop and they all regrouped. They sat around on the flat roof of some offices, which was one of their favourite resting spots though they took great care not to use it too often in case the police tried to get it watched, and they arranged themselves in a cluster as they waited for their leader to speak.

"So." She drawled, leaning her back against the concrete block behind her as she perched elegantly on a railing like a queen sitting on a throne. "It appears this Chat Noir isn't going away any time soon. Do we all still think the same way about him?"

"Of course!" Lady Wifi spoke proudly, tossing her hair back confidently. "I knew he had potential and he's shown it in spades this past week. He's got the whole of Paris panicking, all the police they can muster on his tail and yet they have no clue how to catch him! I say that if we don't recruit this guy, it will be our loss and we'll come to regret it."

"I second that." Stoneheart grunted, causing everyone to look at him as he didn't usually speak much. "With Juleka gone and the police suddenly more competent with this new guy around, we need somebody like him to fill the space we have. We can't afford to be weak at this time." He shot an apologetic glance at Princess Fragrance who was able to nod in understanding even though there were tears in her eyes. She knew that Hawkmoth and the rest of her group were unwilling to stage a breakout for Juleka and she knew that it would be too much of a risk and way too dangerous for both them and her but that didn't lessen the pain she felt from her not being there. She turned to Ladybug, who gave her a sympathetic look, and nodded to show she agreed with what he had said. They needed a new akuma and her emotions wouldn't change that one bit.

"Well, I think you're all crazy to even consider this guy," A voice snapped into the gloom and all their eyes went to Evillustrator, who was sitting there with his arms crossed and a deep frown on his face. "He's not an akuma, he's a threat. Why do you think he's only attacking shops in our district? He's trying to send some sort of message and I don't like it so far. He's trying to mess with us and right now we should be discussing ways of getting rid of this punk instead of trying to recruit him. Think about it, if he wanted to find us, surely he would have done it by now?"

"Well, you're hardly making it easy for me." A smooth voice suddenly spoke from behind them and the whole group whirled around and got to their feet, except Ladybug who sat perfectly still as she peered at the shadowy figure standing on the other side of the roof. "I mean, I just had to chase you guys across half of Paris and you can run fast when you want to. Still, I'm here now and that means I can finally introduce myself." There was a gleam of white as a wide smile loomed out from the darkness and the figure sauntered over until he was standing in the light. He shot them all another winning smile as he crossed his legs and leaned on the silver baton he carried like a gentleman leaning on a walking cane. He then swept it away and gave a deep bow, making Lady Wifi gasp and Evillustrator scowl. "My name is Chat Noir and it's a real pleasure to meet you all."

Nobody else made a sound as Ladybug slowly rose. She began to step towards him, her eyes never leaving him as she drank in every part of his appearance. He was taller than her, the top of her head just reaching his nose, and strongly built, his strength clearly shown in his muscular arms which were bare for the world to see. His hair was a wild tangle of buttercup gold and had a pair of leather cat ears nestled among it and the strands of yellow kept falling in front of his eyes, which were a deep green that put jewels to shame with their intensity. His skin was a very light tan colour with contrasted with the black of the leather domino mask that concealed his identity, the leather caressing each crevice and dip of his features to hold itself there perfectly. His torso was also covered with leather as he wore a black leather vest that embraced every one of his muscles and a thin leather collar was around his neck, a large golden bell hanging from it that gave a soft ringing noise when he moved. His trousers and boots were also black leather and his hands were dressed in black gloves with sharp claws on the end of each finger. They made a rapping noise as he clinked them on the metal of his baton and she could see the silver had been marked with a green paw print. There were similar paw prints on the soles on his boots and on the leather bands he wore around his wrists and as Ladybug looked over him again, she swore she could see one on the buckle of his belt. She walked around him, not betraying anything on her face though inside she was thrilled with him. So far, he's looking very intriguing, she thought, and when she stopped in front of him she gave him a smile that would have felled him if he didn't have his baton to hold him up.

"The pleasure is all mine Chat Noir." She said sweetly as she held out her hand for him to shake. "I'm Ladybug and these are my fellow akumas, Princess Fragrance, Stoneheart, Evillustrator and lady Wifi." She flourished her hand at the group and they each gave a nod at the mention of their name, their eyes firmly on the newcomer. "I must confess, I've wanted to meet with you for a while."

"As have I Ladybug." Chat Noir answered with a wink as he took her hand but instead of shaking it as she expected, he took it in his hand and drew it up to his lips, brushing them across her knuckles whilst never losing eye contact with her. "And I must confess, I have heard reports of your stunning beauty but none of them truly did you justice."

Ladybug gave a light chuckle, one that made Evillustrator grit his teeth and Lady Wifi give a smirk at her leader. "I should have a word with those giving the reports then. They must be made to report things more accurately." She slid her fingers gently from his hand and crossed her arms over her chest. "What business do you have here Chat Noir? I was just discussing that with my group here and we were wondering what your aim was, destroying all those shops." One hand snaked upwards and tugged slightly on her lip, exposing more of its pink flesh. "It has been pointed out to me that this could be an open threat to us since they openly appear to be in our district."

Evillustrator's face broke into a wide grin at her words and it made him bold enough to speak up. "What's your answer to that, huh Cat-boy?" He sneered at him, walking to Ladybug's side. "Are you trying to cause trouble? Cos if you are, you'll be sorry."

He laughed as Chat Noir viewed him with an almost disgusted look. "Believe me, that is not my intention." He said, his voice still as smooth as silk as he held up his hands in mock surrender. "I wouldn't dream of threating you or causing you any trouble." His eyes looked Evillustrator up and down and when he next spoke, his voice was heavy with sarcasm. "I especially wouldn't dream of messing with you Paint-can. I wouldn't want to get dripped on now, would I?"

"Oooooh!" Lady Wifi called from the group as they all started howling with laughter, almost on the floor as they clasped their sides. Even Ladybug had a smirk on her face that she tried to cover up with her hand and when he saw it, Evillustrator went bright red under his painted mask as he glared at Chat, who had his own smug smile on his face. "He got you there! He really did!" Lady Wifi walked over to Ladybug's other side, still bent over from laughing and she put her elbow on her shoulder for support as she continued to wheeze. "Oh man, if you could see your face…"

"Shut up!" Evillustrator hissed at her through his teeth but she just laughed over him, continuing to do so until she could finally stand up straight and breathe properly.

"Oh that was brilliant." She said, slightly out of breath as she wiped tears from her eyes. The other akumas had joined her and they were now crowding around their leader like they feared Chat Noir would suddenly leap at her and attempt to scratch her eyes out. "Ladybug, I like this cat. Can we keep him?"

She grinned as Evillustrator shot her a murderous look and Ladybug gave a sigh as she deliberately pushed them apart. "Hold on you two, I don't want to have to sort you both out in front of our visitor." She said, her voice still sounding sweet but there was a hard steel behind it that made them both step away and go quiet. "I can't agree to anything unless I know what his business is." She eyed him again and he saw the question mirrored in her blue eyes. "Could you enlighten us please Chat Noir as to why you are here?"

"Of course my Lady," Chat Noir replied. "The truth is that I wished to catch your attention. I know how much the head of your entire organisation loves a good show and I figured it would be a good way to show off some of my talents. I have a good set of skills and I know I could be of great use to you." He said this all whilst staring into her eyes and she felt a shiver pass through her that had nothing to do with the night air. "I also heard you were having some bother with the police. I consider myself an expert in that field and I really could help you there."

"See? He's perfect!" Lady Wifi whispered into Ladybug's ear excitedly. She was gripping tightly onto her arm in her eagerness but Ladybug surprisingly indulged her, peeling her off after a few seconds when her grip got too suffocating. "What better fit could we have? And he is pretty fit too…"

"Wifi." Ladybug said in a low voice that made the girl back away slightly. It also freaked Chat Noir out too; it was clear they were all good friends from the way they acted but they were all so obviously intimidated by their leader, treating her a little like a ticking time bomb and not wanting to put her too far. It made him seriously wonder what she was capable of. If she could have people like this fearing her, what would she do to someone like me? The thought almost paralyzed him as Ladybug took a step towards him, her hands travelling down her body to rest at her hips as she stared up at him with a cunning look on her face.

"Did you just call me your Lady?" She asked in a way that made his stomach flip. He gulped, feeling like she was putting a spell on him. He could hear his brain yelling at him to focus and he gripped his baton a little tighter. No matter how beautiful she was, he couldn't forget that she was dangerous too.

"Forgive my slip of the tongue." He said, bowing again before holding himself there and looking up at her through the layer of his fringe. "It just seems to suit you so well."

She giggled, her hands flying up to cover her mouth but it was too late, he was already entranced by the girlish sound. It was so pure and full of joy that he would have been happy listening to it forever but, seemingly embarrassed by it, she quickly stopped and looked back at him with the same smouldering gaze she had before. "So…if I'm your lady," She asked, her voice back to a seductive tremor that made his insides feel hot like they were boiling. "Does that make you my knight or something like that?"

Chat Noir straightened up with a flourish of his hand and a smile that would have turned any other girl's heart into a puddle. "If you would accept me, I would be honoured to serve you." He answered, making her giggle again and making his smile grow wider.

"I would be glad to," She said but her smile now looked devious and he could feel a tremble of worry surging through him. "But for that, you would have to be an akuma and before you can be one of us, you have to pass the test." Her words made all the akumas behind her, particularly Evillustrator, grin manically and Lady Wifi look worried.

"A test?" He repeated, trying not to sound too alarmed. Reflekta hadn't mentioned anything about a test. Damn that girl!

"Yes a test." Ladybug smiled up at him with a sway of her hips as she shifted her weight from one leg to the other. "You shouldn't be worried, it's really very simple." She gave a chuckle and all the others joined in behind her, making a chorus of quiet wicked laughter. "All you have to do…is shoot me."


	6. Chapter 6

_Hi, me again! I'd just like to thank all of you who have reviewed this, it's always great to read such supportive things and I really hope you guys have forgiven me for that cliffhanger. *Awkward laugh* Hehe… Because I'm not sure you will after this one… *Runs away* I regret nothing!_

 _On a serious note, please enjoy and, I dunno, review please?_

"Wha-what?" Chat Noir spluttered as he stared at her. He had heard some things in his career, the excuses people would come up with never failed to astound him, but never had he been this taken aback. Had she really just said that? He thought, his mind struggling to process the words that had just fallen from that pair of perfect pink lips like dead weights. Surely that had to be impossible.

"You heard her," Evillustrator smirked at him, clearly enjoying every second of his discomfort. Chat Noir gritted his teeth and snarled in response. He wasn't usually one for starting fights but the leering purple face with its absurdly white teeth was looking very punchable right now. "So, go on, do it. Unless you really are a pussy…"

"Please." Ladybug gave him a side glare and he instantly shut up though part of his sneer remained on his face. "I asked you, Chat Noir, to shoot me." She then repeated with her eyes back on him, her voice clear like it was nothing. She could have been asking him to lend her a cup of sugar and he was flabbergasted by the unwavering smile that was still in place.

When he made no move to answer her or do anything, she wordlessly held out her hand to one side, keeping her eyes steadily on him. From behind her, Lady Wifi backed away and walked over to where the group had previously been sitting. Her body blocked his view of what she was doing but his ears picked up the sound of a door slotting open. They must have hiding places like that hidden all over the city, he thought and that realisation made him shudder. It meant they nearly always had a weapon nearby to back them up.

He heard the door carefully being closed and Lady Wifi walked back, her eyes keenly focused on Chat Noir like she was expecting him to run away and was pleading with him not to. In her hands, she was cradling a silver revolver that shone brightly at him, standard size and obviously illegal. A lone bullet stood to attention beside it and Chat gulped when he saw it. He had hoped it would be a blank, something that would cause no harm, but this bullet was as painfully real as he baton he was clasping in his quivering hand like it was his own life.

"Thank you." Ladybug smiled at her fellow akuma as she took the gun from her grasp. Lady Wifi was still looking nervously at Chat Noir like she was scared for him. Why would she be scared for me? He thought. Shouldn't her leader be of more concern? She's the one who asked me to shoot her!

Ladybug, ignorant of the turmoil going on inside his brain, skilfully loaded the gun, popping out the chamber and sliding in the bullet like she was slipping a ring on somebody's finger. She then pushed it into his hesitant hand, watching him as his fingers curled over it but the rest of him remained stock still.

"Go on. I'll make it easier for you." She said softly as she took his hand, ignoring how his breath hitched at her touch and how her own face seemed to feel warm the moment her glove met his. She lifted the gun up until the point was eying her straight in the centre of her forehead, a place where nobody could fail to hit her. She leaned forwards and pressed her skin to the cold metal, closing her eyes as she did so. She looked the image of peace and tranquillity and it was unsettling how out of place she suddenly looked in the midst of the situation. "Go on."

"Ladybug…I…" He was only just able to hold the gun still though he suspected she could feel him trembling. He was a hairs-breadth away from tossing the gun to the floor and making a run for it even though he knew he wouldn't get far. How could he do this? His job was to protect people, how could he just shoot someone callously in cold blood? "…I…"

Her eyes flicked open and stared at him with a new glare that sent a spear of terror straight through him. "If you can't do this, then you are clearly not one of us." She said coldly, her voice so icy he could feel his blood freezing. "And if you aren't… then you know too much. Do you really think we'd let you leave this rooftop? There are many ways to skin a cat after all." Her eyes held threats of all the various things that she could do to him and that was when it really sunk in. This was a game he couldn't afford to lose. "So, I'll only say one more time. Go. On."

She slowly closed her eyes again, back to looking calm and serene whilst he felt like a million nails were stabbing into him from all around. The gun felt heavy in his hand, like the weight of her life was sitting in his palm, but he had no choice as his finger closed around the trigger. This is all too easy, he thought, steadying his hand as his eyes flickered around to the other akumas who were all waiting with bated breath. There had to be something else… but it wouldn't find out unless he did what she asked. Steeling himself, he let out one long breath that he thought might be his last as the tension in the air snapped and he pulled the trigger.

 **BANG**

What happened next took only seconds, happening so fast Adrien doubted it could have ever been caught even on a slow motion camera. He himself wouldn't have believed it had he not seen it with his own two eyes. The second the gun went off, Ladybug opened her eyes and, moving like she was possessed with an unholy magic, she thrust her arm up with a speed that could have put lightning to shame and knocked the gun skywards, sending the bullet travelling harmlessly away from her. Her other arm then shot out, aiming for his throat. She had almost reached it when Chat Noir threw himself backwards and held up the end of his baton, blocking her access and springing away from her. He barely had a second to catch his breath when she lunged at him again, her yoyo freed from the catch at her waist and now lethally spinning through the air with all the speed of a bullet. He parried the attacks again and again, waiting for a gap in the constant assault for him to make his own move. The opportunity came quickly as she pulled the yoyo back into her hand and held it there for a second too long. He ran towards her and leapt into the air, his baton held high ready to slam it down on her but before he could even register her moving, she was gone and he hit the floor with a loud clang that made his arms shake. He spun around and saw her advancing on him, her yoyo moving through the air like a whip as he caught him square in the chest and made him fly back into the wall. He lay there spluttering but he forced himself upright when he saw her approaching, her yoyo lazily swinging around her body as she flawlessly controlled it like an animal on a leash. He held up his baton, ready for another attack but all she did was flick her wrist and snap her yoyo back into her palm.

"Well," She chuckled, attaching it back to her belt as he stared at her confused. "That really exceeded my expectations. You were right Wifi," She directed a call over her shoulder as Lady Wifi beamed in relief and shot a winning grin at Evillustrator, who was standing there with his mouth open. "He clearly has potential. I haven't had a tussle like that in a while." Her eyes flashed when she looked back at him and he felt his mouth go dry.

"Wha-what just happened?" He choked out as the other akumas suddenly flocked around him happily.

"You passed the test." Lady Wifi said as she walked up to him and boldly slapped him on the shoulder. "We all knew your Lady here was in no danger, those reflexes of hers are killer." She gave him a wink at the use of his nickname and Evillustrator gave a low growl. "However, if you hadn't blocked her off, she would have got you in the throat and then you'd have never come out of that fight alive. You put up an impressive fight; some of us only just got out alive. And you don't even want to know how many people have failed."

No I really don't, he thought as he looked back at Ladybug. She was walking towards him again but this time with a welcoming smile like moments before she hadn't been trying to kill him. The change in her was disturbing, like seeing two very different sides of a coin. It was just another thing he would have to get used to around this enigma of a woman. Seeing her gaze hadn't left him, he shot her a grin and bowed down in front of her. "I guess you do have a knight now, my Lady, however unworthy he is," He said, only able to see her boots from his position facing the floor. "If of course, it is your wish."

For a moment, he heard nothing as the air around him went still, before there was a gentle laugh from her and a hand tapped at his chin, lifting his head up to face those mystical blue eyes again. "I think you could definitely be of some use," She purred happily, her fingers lingering on his skin and making him shiver. "Welcome Chat Noir. You are one of us now."

OOO

The next morning, Adrien was in his office bright and early as usual but instead of running around eager like he normally did, he sat at his desk and put all his energy into trying not to move. His body felt as stiff as a wooden board from the fight last night and he knew his skin on his torso was covered in large bruises that stood as a testament to the fact that he had faced Ladybug and survived. He was trying to focus on some paperwork in front of him, a report he had needed to finish over a week ago but he couldn't concentrate. He had read over the same line nearly five times and none of it had gone in; all his thoughts were pointed towards the woman who was now strangely, his akuma leader. He winced as he reached across the desk for a pencil before sighing when the image of her smiling appeared before his eyes. She inspired such a strange set of feelings inside him; half of him was terrified of her and what he knew she could do and the rest of his emotions were a confused jumble of excitement and an almost grudging respect. His fingers found the smooth plastic of the pen and he withdrew his aching arm, trying to ignore the butterflies that appeared to twitch in his stomach at the thought of her. That's all it is, respect. He told himself firmly. He couldn't feel anything more for a woman as evil as she is.

He gave a groan as his elbow accidently bumped the arm of his chair and Nino's head shot up to stare at him from behind his own mountain of paperwork that looked ready to become a landslide. His eyes narrowed from behind his glasses as Adrien tried his best not to look guilty but failed when his body twitched again and sent another spasm of pain shooting through him, making him have to bite his lip hard not to wince again.

"Dude, what's wrong?" Nino asked concerned as he stood up from his desk, still giving his friend an odd look. Adrien could read the suspicion in his eyes and it made him want to grimace. He had sensed Nino looking at him a lot like that over the last week, particularly when they were working on the ever-present menace of Chat Noir. Adrien had managed to brush it off so far but he didn't know how long he could go on for. He was used to sharing everything he did with his fellow cop so lying to him like this just felt unnatural.

"Nothing's wrong." Adrien said, somehow managing to sound cheery even though every muscle in him felt like it was on fire. "I'm totally fine. I just need to get back to this paperwork…"

"Adrien. There's something up, I can tell." Nino cut across him as he stood in front of Adrien's desk with his arms crossed and eyes fixed firmly on him from underneath his cap. "I know you dude and you're acting funny. You're normally running around the place like a demented puppy and complaining I haven't made your coffee sweet enough but today I haven't heard a peep from you and you haven't moved from that desk for nearly an hour now. So, I'll ask you again. What's up with you?"

He tapped his foot impatiently on the ground and Adrien could feel his neck get hotter as he realised his friend meant business. When Nino picked up that something was wrong with somebody, he wouldn't stop until he figured out what it was, even if he wasn't supposed to know it. It was one of the things that made him such a good cop and was one reason why the pair worked so well together but right now, Adrien was almost praying his friend would just let it go.

"There's nothing wrong Nino," He insisted, giving his own glare aimed directly at his friend's large brown eyes. "I'm telling you, I'm fine."

"And I'm telling you I know you're lying." Nino snapped back, taking Adrien by surprise. "I know you Adrien, you've been a little off this past week and now you're acting funny. Is this to do with the case? Is there something you're not telling me?" He looked hurt and it only made Adrien feel worse about keeping his secret. He hated doing this to him but he had no choice in the matter. This had to stay closed between him and the chief or else he could put him in grave danger.

"Nino, believe me, I don't want to do this but-argh!" He suddenly stopped his sentence early with a loud grunt as he clutched at his chest. He had momentarily forgot he couldn't move and had made to stand and try to reassure Nino and now he felt like he had been hit in the chest all over again.

"Adrien!" Nino grabbed him and gently manoeuvred him back into his chair, alarm written all over him at the way his friend had seemed to just collapse. "What it is?! Are you having a heart attack or something?! I told you all that sugar was a bad idea!"

"What?! No, I'm not having a heart attack!" Adrien snapped, his hand still over his chest as he groaned a little. Nino looked down at how his fingers were gripping at the fabric, almost prising the buttons off in the process, and a thought hit him.

"Bro were you injured or something? You sound like you cracked a rib… let me have a look." Before Adrien could react, Nino was attacking his shirt, pinning him down as he undid the buttons and pulled it open.

"Nino! What are you doing?!" Adrien struggled desperately underneath him but Nino's hold was too strong and he was in too much pain to put up a fair fight. "Do you realise what this looks like? What if somebody walks in and sees us? Stop and get off me, I'm fine!"

"People are going to walk in if you keep yelling like a-holy shit!" Nino froze as he finally yanked Adrien's hands away and exposed his bare chest. Right in the centre of his muscular chest was a large bruise the size of his whole hand that burned a mottled purple colour next to his light tan skin. It was a long thin shape like a rod and Nino couldn't even think of what could have done that. He looked up at Adrien's face and saw how panicked he looked. He slowly crept off him, being careful not to hurt him anymore, before pointing down at the offending injury and giving him a hard look.

"Adrien Agreste you have one minute to explain what the hell happened with that or so help me, I'm out of this investigation."

"What?!" Adrien cried out, pausing in his scramble to right his clothing and leaving the bruise open for them both to see. "You can't do that!"

"I can and I will Adrien." Nino's steely expression told Adrien he was telling the truth and his stomach dropped to the floor. "I know you're hiding something from me and I've guessed it's to do with this case. Seriously, don't you trust me anymore? I thought we were friends!"

"We are!" Adrien almost shouted. "That's why I can't tell you! I refuse to put you in danger like this, like what I'm doing!"

"Wait, like you're doing?" Nino looked confused. "What do you mean? We're both working the case, surely I'm in the same amount of danger as you."

"No, this is different." Adrien sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair and gave a little whimper at the pain. He had to tell him now. "I'm working the case but from another angle… I wanted to get closer to the akumas and find out how to bring them down and when we were interviewing Reflekta and she mentioned that they don't know each other's identities…" His voice trailed off when he saw Nino's face as everything clicked for him and he gave a gasp.

"You're going undercover and trying to infiltrate their group?!" He said, his eyes wide in shock. "Wait so that means…"

"I'm Chat Noir, yes." Adrien confirmed as his friend sat on the edge of his desk, his legs too wobbly to hold him up any longer. "And as of last night, I officially became an akuma and was accepted into their group."

"No way!" Nino gaped at him before looking back down at the bruise marking him. "I guessing that's how you got that. Was that Ladybug? Dude, what the heck is she like? Is what everyone says about her true?"

"Oh you have no idea." Adrien laughed, despite the pain it gave him, as he told Nino the whole story, going from his meeting in the alleyway all the way to last night when Ladybug's yoyo had given him the bruise. When he had finished, Nino looked ready to fall off the desk in shock, his face amazing yet also horrified by what his friend had told him.

"Dude." He breathed out. "You really are deep in this, aren't you?"

"Yeah, just a bit." Adrien laughed again and this time Nino joined him, both of them chuckling as Adrien finally did up his shirt. "You know you can't tell anyone right? You can't even tell the chief that you know, he'll have my guts for garters if he thought I was putting other valuable officers in danger."

"Did he say that?" Nino grinned, pretending to slick back his hair at the mention of him being valuable.

"Only in your dreams." Adrien shot back, causing Nino to pretend to punch him.

"Watch out or I'll have to arrest you Chat Noir." They both laughed as Nino gently jabbed him in the arm, making sure he didn't actually hurt his friend and Adrien looked up at him relieved. Now that he had shared his dangerous secret, it was like a weight had been lifted from his bruised chest-with his best bud by his side, nothing in the world could stop them. "Seriously dude, I can't believe you're an akuma now. This has got to get us some answers."

"I hope so," Adrien said before he frowned. "Something just seems a little off with it though. I mean, Reflekta didn't take much persuading to give up what she knew… I can't help thinking there's something bigger going on here."

"What do you mean?" Nino went to ask but it was in that moment when the door to their office suddenly burst open, causing them both to jump and Adrien to loudly wince as he triggered more pain deep in his torso. Nino flushed bright red as the chief walked in, springing back to his desk as he tried to look as innocent as he could. Did he hear me just call Adrien Chat Noir? He thought with a stab of fear. If he did… Great. I'll be dead. He looked over at Adrien and mouthed 'When he kills us, we should be buried in a joint grave.' That made Adrien nearly laugh out loud and he had to bite hard on the inside of his cheek to stop himself from tearing up. He could taste blood on his tongue but he forgot that when he saw the serious expression on the chief's face and paled a little. Whenever he had that face, it meant an announcement was coming and those usually weren't good.

"Gentleman." The chief barked out at the two of them, causing them to mumble "Chief" in response.

"Working hard I see?" He grinned when he saw the scattered piles of paperwork and the stray sheets lounging on the floor, tossed aside in the small tussle the pair had had. They warily looked at each other out of the corners of their eyes and saw how scruffy they both looked, especially Adrien as his shirt was ruffled and untucked. They both groaned. This would get round the station quicker than a heartbeat and they would have a hard job explaining that away.

"Anyway, I came to congratulate you both," The chief went on, causing them both to look up in surprise. "You've both done an exceptional job and got us further than any other officers have been able to in this case. It's only been a week and already one akuma is in custody and I'm certain with your talents, it won't be long before another is also arrested." He smiled proudly like it was his own achievement before he coughed and continued to speak. "However, I have been concerned about how stretched you two might be and with a case as important as this, resources cannot be spread thin." Adrien had to suppress a snort at that; the chief hadn't been keen for him to make a team at all when he had asked for the case but now he was singing a very different tune.

"So I decided to assign another detective to your team." The chief finally said, making both of them stand up straight. "She's not the most experienced of detectives but she is a superb officer and I believe she will aid you greatly. Agreste, Lahiffe," The chief swept aside from the door, waving his arms like he was drawing a curtain away from a stage. "I'd like you both to meet Marinette Dupain-Cheng."


	7. Chapter 7

Adrien and Nino stared at the chief in shock, their mouths both open as they looked at the man's smug face as he introduced the new recruit. A new officer on their case? That was the last thing either of them had expected from the man. They heard a small awkward cough from the doorway and their necks almost snapped with the speed they used to look away from the chief, their attention stolen by the young woman who was approaching them with her arm outstretched and a pleasant smile on her face.

"Hello, it's a real pleasure to meet you both. Officer Dupain-Cheng at your service but please call me Marinette. I don't like being referred to by my full name so formally. We are going to be working together after all."

Both men leaned over to shake her hand, still in a shocked trance as they studied her closely. Standing in the doorway like a naughty child sent to the headmaster's office, she had looked very small and close up she only came to Adrien's shoulder but her strong grip on his hand nearly left him wincing again, leaving him making a mental note not to mess with her. Her face was pretty and almost doll-like with smooth white skin, almost completely round eyes that were so blue they looked almost electric and wide pink lips that easily broke into a smile when they returned her handshake and smiled back. Her long black hair was in two ponytails just under her ears that bounced joyfully on her shoulders whenever she moved and not one part of her seemed able to stay still; she was like the walking embodiment of excitement and energy. One thing Adrien noticed about her were the freckles dotted along her cheekbones and nose, the tiny gold spots looking like glitter against her pale skin. They made her look quite cute, he thought but he decided against voicing that thought out loud when he saw the badges she had pinned on the front of her uniform. She was just as impressively decorated as him, if not more so, and that made him nod his head in respect.

"It's nice to meet you too Marinette. I'm Adrien and this is Nino." She smiled at both of their names and nodded back in their direction but she was forced to take a step back when the chief started talking again, his loud voice filling the room like a foghorn.

"So that settles it then," He boomed happily. "I'll leave you two to explain anything and go through what your plans are. I have high expectations of you three, I know just what you're all capable of." For a moment, his eyes locked onto Adrien's as they held a silent warning, one that made Adrien shudder a little in guilt as he gave a firm nod to show he knew what the chief meant. Under no circumstances was the new girl allowed to know about him being Chat Noir. Adrien didn't need telling what danger that could bring and when he looked over at Nino, he could see it was registering with him too. As the chief left the room and thundered back to his office, they both exchanged a look that before they smiled and went back to lounging on the desks. They each let out a sigh of relief, momentarily forgetting there was another person in the room until she laughed out loud.

"Thank God I'm not the only one who's glad he's gone," Marinette laughed at their surprised faces, her hand over her mouth like she feared the chief would come back and hear her but the block over her lips was having no effect and she just laughed harder. The sound was sweet and bubbly like lemonade and it made Adrien sit up a little more with a jolt. The sound was strangely familiar but he couldn't quite place where he had heard it before. "I mean, don't get me wrong, he's a great chief and all, he's got a great reputation but I was worried there what he was going to say…"

"I know what you mean," Adrien chuckled. "Usually when he has that face, he's about to launch into a speech and when he walked in, I was ready to fall asleep there and then."

"I know right!" Marinette giggled loudly as she clutched her sides and again Adrien got that uncomfortable jolt that he had heard that laugh before. "He can go on a bit, can't he?"

"Yeah he really can." Adrien snorted, ignoring the way Nino was looking between the pair of them with a bewildered smile on his face. He could practically see the lightbulb over his head and he didn't want to pay it any attention at all. "So Marinette, I guess we should welcome you to the team. This is a nice surprise, we weren't expecting the chief to give us any more help."

"I don't think he was planning to originally," She answered. "I just transferred here from the other side of the city and I went to him and asked to be put on the case with you two. At first he was pretty reluctant to do so, saying he wanted me to use my talents elsewhere and pointing out I didn't have much experience with detective work, but I kept grinding him down and eventually he agreed. I think he was happy to be rid of me after all that; he said I reminded him of someone equally persistent."

"You're telling me," Nino grinned as Adrien shot him a look. "That's exactly what he did. This case wouldn't be where it is now if he wasn't so good at pestering people."

"Nino." Adrien hissed in a low warning tone that only served to make his friend snigger. Marinette giggled along and Adrien turned his attention back to her. The sound was still somehow giving him déjà vu but he pushed the thought away to ask her a question.

"If I may ask you Marinette, what made you want to work on this case? I know you just got here but you must already know nearly everyone else in the force wouldn't touch it with a bargepole."

At once, her stance seemed to change slightly, shifting almost defensively as her smile faded as she gave him a level stare. "Let's just say I've had some run-ins with them," She answered, fixing them with a blank glare. "I know exactly what they can do and it isn't nice having to clean up their messes. It's nothing that personal; I want to see them gone so they won't terrorise anyone anymore."

Her eyes narrowed a little as she focused her eyes on Adrien, the blue flashing like sunlight off deep water. "What about you? Was there any special reason you wanted to open this case?"

"Justice." Adrien responded almost instantly, his eyes not leaving hers. "It's always been that simple. I hate that Hawkmoth has been able to get away with so much and I want to see justice done. I don't have any kind of personal vendetta, that's it."

"So far anyway." Nino murmured under his breath but neither of the two caught it, both of them staring as if sussing the other out. Then Marinette's face broke into a wide smile that threw of the heavy atmosphere in less than a second and took Adrien by surprise. It was like the sun coming out from behind heavy clouds and for a moment he felt blinded by it.

"In that case, I think we'll work together very well." She said brightly, sounding full of enthusiasm. "Could you guys possibly talk me through what you have so far? I have some knowledge but it's not much. Don't miss out a single detail-I want to know everything."

"My pleasure." Adrien replied with a smile of his own as he went to grab the reports they had managed to do. "Let's get started."

The rest of the morning and a good section of the afternoon was spent with the three of them pouring over the events of the case so far, starting with the arrest of Reflekta and going all the way through each of the Chat Noir attacks. Adrien left out his meeting with Ladybug and anything to do with his involvement in the akuma activity; he found that his part in the destruction was beginning to bother him less and less and that was a little worrying for him. Marinette proved herself an attentive pupil as she memorised every detail to perfection, asking questions in all the right places like she was investigating them. That didn't help with his unease; he really did hate having to lie to people, especially when they were all working towards the same goal. Once they had gone through the entire thing and answered all of her questions, Nino and Adrien had been forced to sheepishly pick up their scattered paperwork from earlier and finish it, Marinette eagerly helping them as they ploughed through the bundle that that had been neglecting for the past week. With three minds working tirelessly on it, it was easily demolished by the end of the day and both of the guys felt relieved like they were able to breathe easy again.

"Finally," Nino sighed when the last piece was completed and signed away, never to grace their desks again. "We've had the office at our heels for ages over this stuff. I feel like I've been liberated."

"I bet." Marinette smirked at the pair of them, laughing at the way they both slumped back in their chairs like they had just finished a marathon. "The first thing I heard from the office was that the two of you never do your paperwork on time. One of them practically begged me to get you guys to get it done. They said something about keeping you both on a tight leash."

"Who said anything about you putting us on a leash?" Adrien teased straight back. "You're the newbie here, shouldn't it be the other way around?"

"You sound pretty eager for that Adrien." Nino smirked at his friend as he raised one eyebrow, causing Marinette to laugh out loud and Adrien to throw a pen at his head. The black biro whizzed past him, completely missing its target but the cross look he sent after it hit the mark and made him go quiet though he didn't lose his smug expression.

"Easy boys, no need to fight over me." She joked as she went to retrieve the pen and put it back on his desk. "But seriously, we got a good deal of work done today and I think we should go out and celebrate."

"Celebrate?" Adrien looked up at her from his relaxed position in the chair. "What are we celebrating?"

"Me being on the team obviously." She smiled down at him from the other side of his desk, both her hands on her cocked hips. "Didn't you guys go out when you arrested Reflekta? That was a pretty big achievement, you must have done."

"Nope." Adrien answered as he sat up. "We arrested her, questioned her and then went straight home to bed."

"What about the next day?"

"Working on Chat Noir's first attack. This case has taken up a lot of our time."

"I can't believe you two. Who doesn't go and celebrate something like that?" She sighed at them like she was their mother who had walked in on them causing trouble before a look of determination appeared on her face. "Right. Get your coats, we're going out."

"What? But-"

"No buts, I know the perfect place we can go. And we hurry up, I can get us a squad car."

"You what?!" Adrien stared at her like he was about to pass out in shock. "How? We can't get one when we're on duty, let alone off it!"

"Let's just say I know some people around here." Marinette tapped the side of her nose as she beamed at both of them. "Now are you coming or what?"

Adrien looked over helplessly at Nino to see he was also grinning like a madman, his eyes on him like a plan was forming. "Yeah Adrien," He said. "Are you coming or what?"

Now he had both pairs of eyes staring from both directions and he knew he was cornered. "Fine." He groaned. "I'm coming. Maybe we'll meet an akuma or two on the way and we can call it police business."

The next thing he knew, the world suddenly went black as his coat hit his face like a bullet and sent him reeling backwards. He ripped it from his head after a moment of flailing around in the darkness, only to see Marinette standing by the door with her finger on the light switch and a teasing smile on her lips.

"Maybe we will," She said as Nino got up to join her, smothering a laugh with his fingers. "You won't know unless you try."

OOO

Marinette drove them to a small café a few minutes from the station, parking the police car outside the door before she casually strolled in like she owned the place. Nino and Adrien were left to trail behind her as she walked up to the counter and started rapidly talking to the short man standing behind the till who had a grey beard and was wearing a bright Hawaiian shirt. They both stood there awkwardly as they looked around the place. It was small but felt very cosy with lots of little tables dotted around the well-scuffed wooden floor and each one was decorated with a small vase, each with a different flower in it. The tablecloths all had different designs on them, either having peacocks, bees, foxes or turtles decorating them. A large gramophone sat in the corner playing music in the background and the lights came from single lightbulbs hanging at random points from the ceiling. It felt very warm and inviting but Adrien didn't feel like he could relax; he never usually went out like this, as he normally would be working, so this felt very alien to him. He almost felt like he was intruding when he saw the looks some of the regulars were shooting him and he would have turned and left had Marinette not turned around at that exact moment and grabbed his arm.

"We came in at the perfect time!" She smiled at him as she started to pull him towards the back, Nino following them, clearly enjoying his distress. "The Kwami Café is usually fuller at this time and it'll be packed later. I can't believe you guys haven't been here before, it's got such great food, you need to have some of the cookies here, they are amazing!"

"Sure. I know somebody here has a sweet tooth." Nino said as he gave Adrien a poke and nodded at him, earning himself another look.

"I am going to murder you later." Adrien growled darkly. "And I know how to dispose of your body so no one will ever find it."

Marinette giggled as Adrien gave his death threat and gripped his arm tighter. "You don't get out much, do you?"

"Not really." Adrien gruffly answered. "I'm usually at work or at home."

"Really?" Marinette paused as she turned her head to gaze at him quizzically. "You don't at all? Surely a guy as handsome as you has a girlfriend to take out?"

"Justice is his woman." Nino dropped in, smirking at how Adrien was now silently glowering at him and imagining all the ways he could kill him and not leave a mark on his body. "Personally, I think he needs a new one, right Marinette?" He grinned at her as she giggled again and Adrien could feel his face grow red. It was at that point when he realised she had referred to him as handsome and that did nothing to help his face cool down.

"We'll have to get on that straight away." Marinette grinned as Adrien wished a gang of robbers would come into the café and shoot him. "I'm sure there are many eligible-Guys!"

"Huh?" Nino and Adrien both said as Marinette let go of his arm and shot off into one of the back booths were a small group of people were crowded around a tiny table decorated with a purple butterfly tablecloth. They all looked up at the sound of Marinette's voice and started shouting their own overjoyed greetings as she charged towards them. One woman managed to free herself from the squeeze of people and chucked herself at her, engulfing her in a hug that knocked all the air from her lungs and spun her around.

"Mari! This is so great, we weren't expecting you here tonight! We thought you wanted to rest!"

"I was going to," Marinette admitted as she returned the woman's hug just as eagerly. "But then these two told me that they hadn't been out to celebrate in a long time so I just had to bring them as a service to the community of course."

"Of course." The woman replied as she winked at her and then turned to the two cops who were still standing in place watching the scene before them unfold. "You always are an outstanding officer." She walked over to them both, confidence in every step of her walk as her light-brown eyes focused on them both from behind a pair of black-rimmed round glasses. Her long nut-brown hair tinged with red was up in a ponytail with the ends tickling the nape of her neck and the only blemish on her tanned skin was a beauty spot above her right eye. "Nice to meet you both. I'm Alya, Alya Césaire. You two must be the cops I've heard so much about."

"You've heard of us?" Nino gulped loudly, his voice close to stammering as his eyes met hers. Adrien could practically see the sweat forming on his forehead and he had to bite his lip to stop himself making a comment that would bring his friend's wrath down on him. He knew Nino would be cross if he saw the smirk that was on his face right now but his fellow cop was too busy staring at Alya to notice him.

"Oh yes, I wouldn't be surprised if the whole of Paris hadn't heard of you both." Alya replied as she shook Nino's limply hanging hand and turned to Adrien. "It's not everyday somebody makes a stand against Hawkmoth. You two are the only ones packing a punch against him and the people are loving it right now. They can't get enough of it."

"Alya's a journalist." Marinette explained, stepping close to her friend and leaning an elbow on her shoulder. "She works for one of the biggest-selling newspapers in Paris so she knows everything that goes on here." The pair exchanged a grin before Marinette suddenly smacked her forehead. "Where are my manners? I haven't even introduced you all properly! Alya this is Adrien and this is Nino. They are my new colleagues."

"No way, you're in this case now too?" Alya stared at her friend wide-eyed. When Marinette nodded, she gave a loud squeal and grabbed her arm. "That's so cool girl, I have to get an interview with you three!"

"All in good time Alya," Marinette told her friend calmly as she unhooked her arm from her tight clasp. "But we're not here to discuss work right now, we're here to have a good time. Besides, I need to introduce these two to the whole gang, I don't want them to feel left out."

"OK!" Alya said happily, her face full of determination that she would somehow get that interview, before she looked over at the two guys and gave them a wide grin. "Well don't just stand there and make the place look untidy, come over!"

Both of them went to obey her wishes as the girls lead them over to the cosy booth. They stood there as several heads looked up from their drinks and waved at them, eager to see the newcomers. They all welcomed Marinette joyfully, making a lot of rowdy noise with their greetings as each one stood up to hug her and lightly kiss her cheek like they were greeting a queen back to court. She smiled at each of them, answering their babbling questions with her eyes lit up in excitement from seeing them. It was only after she had said hello to them all did she then turn back to Nino and Adrien and pull them forcibly close to the table.

"Everybody this is Adrien and Nino, the cops Alya's been boring you guys stiff over. They are my newest colleagues so please don't try and scare them off."

"You think we could frighten two of Paris's finest?" A male voice answered as he stood up and went to Marinette's side, pecking her on the cheek as she hugged him again. "You really flatter us."

The young man turned to Adrien to shake his hand and Adrien looked down at the dry rough skin to see it was splattered in a rainbow of different paints. His face too was streaked with bright colour but he didn't seem to care as he stood there proudly with his arm draped protectively around Marinette's shoulders. His hair was the colour of a traffic cone and tufts of it stuck out in all directions from where he had dragged his painted fingers through it. He was wearing a blue shirt that made his eyes of the same shade stand out from his milky white face with a pair of loose black trousers that were surprisingly paint free. He eyed Adrien like he was checking to see if he was a rival and when Marinette put her hand on Adrien's arm, he stared at it for a little too long for it to be a passing glance.

"Adrien, this is Nathanaël. He's one of my oldest friends, I've known him and Alya since we were tiny."

"Good to meet you." Nathanaël said as he gave him a nod. "You're a cop like Mari?"

"Yeah though I only met her today." Adrien told him which seemed to make him relax. "What do you do? I'm guessing it's something to do with paint…"

"Oh, yeah." Nathanaël laughed as he looked down at his hands, only just now seeming to notice they were caked with paint. "Sort of. My job is as a graphic designer but I paint as a hobby. I hope to do it full time one day but until then I just do it in my spare time. Just waiting for fame and fortune to call."

"I'm certain it will Nat, your work is so good!" Marinette enthused and Adrien could see how the other man's chest swelled with pride. "I'll have to show you sometime Adrien, he's good enough to have his work in the Louvre. Now I just have to introduce you to the others. Adrien, this is Ivan, Mylene and Rose. Guys, this is Adrien."

"We know, we've heard you say his name a million times already." The smallest of the three giggled teasingly as she stood up, still barely coming to Adrien's chest. She had short blonde hair, wide blue eyes that could have rivalled a sad puppy's and was wearing a simple pink dress. Adrien reached out his hand but before he could even speak, she had pulled him into a hug that was alarmingly tight for her twig thin arms. "It's really good to see you Adrien, Marinette never brings people back from her work! I'm Rose and the couple there are the other two. You might want to avert your gaze from them later."

"Rose!" The woman called Mylene squeaked at her but it didn't stop her from cuddling further into her much larger boyfriend's side. She was short like Rose but with a much curvier figure and her hair was braided in different bright colours with a pink scarf tying her mane back from her face. Her eyes were golden brown and looked up kindly at him through golden lashes and when he nodded and smiled to her, she gave a little wave back. Ivan also gave him a wave and a nod n response as he was squashed into the other side of the booth and was far too comfortable to move. His hair was gelled back and he was wearing a simple t-shirt and jeans. His face looked almost stern and he was silent when he greeted people except when he looked at Mylene; then a soft smile would come across his features and he spent a lot of time whispering in her ear, making her giggle. Adrien decided not to bother the obviously happy couple anymore and instead talked to Rose.

"So how do you guys know Marinette? Is it work related or…"

"Oh no, none of us are cops!" Rose giggled, amused by the very thought. "I work as a perfume designer, Mylene is an actress and Ivan is a builder. We all knew each other back in school, we were in the same class for pretty much all of our last years and we just grew close. We used to come here all the time as kids and now whenever we have the chance, we all meet here." She gave a small smile before she added "You and your friend are the first people Marinette has brought along to meet us."

"Really?" Adrien wanted to ask more but at that moment Alya shouted over the noise and drew all their attention.

"Right, who's up for drinks? First round is on me!"

The group cheered as drinks orders began pouring in and Alya took them all in her stride, acting almost like a bartender. Adrien looked over at Nino in panic as the first alcoholic drinks started to roll from the bar, served by the short man in the bright Hawaiian shirt with a knowing look in his eye. The noise level only rose as a beer was put in his hand and he gulped a little. This could end up being a long night.

"C'mon dude, drink up!" Nino was suddenly by his side, laughing as he swung his arm around his shoulder, his beer bottle already empty from where he had chugged the whole thing in one go. "We need to live a little and celebrate like Marinette said! Hey Alya, send another one of these my way!"

Adrien sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose. This really was going to be a very long night.

OOO

Several rounds later, Adrien and Marinette left the Kwami Café, the goodbyes of her friends ringing in their ears as they helped a groaning Nino into the back of the squad car. He was making long sluggish groans, a headache already pounding at his temples as he lay flat on the back seat.

"Urgh guys… I don't feel so good…"

"Gee really? I wonder what caused that…" Adrien deadpanned as he got into the driver's seat. He had only taken a few sips of his beer before Nino had grabbed it and swilled the rest down and he wasn't sure how much Marinette had had but by the looks of her flushed cheeks, he wasn't taking any chances. How bad would it look if a police officer working on probably the most serious case in Paris right now was pulled over for drunk driving? "Do you think that was the fourteenth beer or the fifteenth?"

"I don't know man…" Nino groaned, missing the sarcasm as Adrien signalled and pulled out into the road. They were a few streets away when suddenly Nino shot bolt upright and shouted, making both Adrien and Marinette jump and nearly causing Adrien to crash the car into the pavement.

"Nino, what the h-"

"We have to go back! I didn't get Alya's number!"

"Wait what?!"

"We were talking all night and she was so cool, like she knew so much and she was so pretty…I was going to ask her for it but I didn't and we have to go back!" Nino looked on the verge of wailing and Adrien was at a loss, staring at his drunk friend like he had just grown horns. All this over a phone number…

"Don't worry, I got you covered." Marinette suddenly piped up as she took a little folded scrap of paper from her pocket and handed it to Nino who almost ripped it as he wrestled it from her hand. "She told me to give it to you, she was just as enamoured with you as you were with her. She wouldn't stop going on about men in uniforms…"

"Thank you so much…" Nino whispered, sounding like a man lost in a desert who had just been given a sip of life-saving water. He laid back down on the seats and clutched the paper to his chest like she was going to steal it back and Adrien couldn't help laughing. Marinette joined in too and after a moment they just looked over at each other, both their cheeks pink from laughter.

"Thank god you had that on you." Adrien breathed a long sigh of relief as he looked away from her embarrassed and focused on the road. "I really didn't want to go back with him in that state so thank you."

Marinette smiled warmly at him. "No problem," She joked as she pretended to tip a hat to him. "I am an outstanding police officer after all."

Adrien laughed again at that, feeling more relaxed than he could ever remember feeling. "Yeah, that really was a good service to your community."

 _See? No cliffhanger this time! Thanks though for all the reviews I got for my last chapter, they were great to read and I loved them all. Hope you enjoyed this one, I just love irony so this was a lot of fun to write, I giggled the whole way through._

 _I made Marinette a lot more confident in this story, mainly because I thought she wouldn't sound right as a cop if she was stuttering all the time and I like the idea of her being sassy and bossing those two around… it's like an office drama waiting to happen._

 _Anyway… please review!_


	8. Chapter 8

_Hi everyone! This is a chapter I've been longing to write for a while now so I hope you all enjoy it. Warning: there is a lot of innuendo. A lot. I just couldn't help myself. I also wanted to ask, how many people want this to stay T rated and how many wouldn't mind if I changed it to M? I will go with the majority vote on this as I don't mind either way. Enjoy!_

Three nights later, Chat Noir was standing on the edge of a roof, looking down at the road below him with a growing sense of unease. From all the way up here, the cars zooming by down below looking like beetles he could easily crush under the end of his baton and he himself felt like he was about to be squashed just as carelessly. He surveyed the rooftop he was standing on with the other akumas with a bored look on his face, even though his heart felt like it was thudding a demonic pace inside his chest. Tonight was his first attack, his first raid and just that thought was terrifying enough. The fact that it was on one of the largest and well-secured companies in the whole of Paris was what made his stomach really churn as he looked over the city the akumas were about to shake to its very core.

He hadn't been told why Hawkmoth had targeted this particular place, only that he wanted to 'make a statement.' Ladybug had told him that with one of her sweet smiles plastered on her face whilst rubbing her hands together eagerly and it made his skin crawl to think of what she had planned, especially when he knew how much she liked to put on a show. He was watching her now out of the corner of his eye as she strolled down the building's edge towards him, twirling her yoyo casually like she was walking down a normal street instead of moments from falling from one of the highest buildings in the city. She looked up at him, her eyes giving him the faintest of glances before she turned to the others standing around him who looking just as bored. They reminded him of a group of teenagers hanging around the front of a shop looking for trouble; every inch of them was itching to do something to create havoc and with one word Ladybug had the power to release it on their unsuspecting victim. She suddenly dropped from the edge and walked over to them with more purpose, giving a satisfied nod before she started speaking.

"Right, it's almost time for us to make our move." She announced, her tone of voice making all of them stand up straight and hang on her every word. "This is going to be very simple so I don't want us here any longer than necessary. In and out, everyone got that?" They all nodded, her sense of authority rendering them dumb. Adrien couldn't help but feel his respect for her grow in that moment; here she was every inch a leader and she was proving why so many both were devoted to her and at the same time, feared her.

"Good." She gave a small smile at that, her lips curling at the ends like a cats would before it leaps on its prey. "The last members of staff should be leaving at this time but some might decide to linger. I don't want any witnesses so if you meet someone in there, I don't want cordial greetings I want them out by any means necessary." Nobody needed to ask what that meant and Chat Noir could feel drops of sweat on the back of his neck. He was really hoping it wouldn't come to that.

"To make sure the place is deserted, we're splitting off into pairs and entering the building in different places. Stoneheart, Evillustrator, I want you both at the lower floors. I'm sure you'll find a way to make that happen." She grinned at them and Stoneheart gave a small evil smile back as he took off across the roof. Evillustrator lingered a little longer, his eyes on Ladybug as if hoping she would change her mind before he too ran off into the night.

"Fragrance, Wifi, I want you both going down from the top. You girls can take the stairs." She pointed over at the fire escape in the corner and both girls nodded with matching grins before running to follow her orders. Ladybug then turned to Chat Noir, the same devilish smile twitching at her lips.

"That just leaves you and me Chat Noir," She murmured, her voice like a rumbling purr as she stared at his relaxed pose. He was leaning against his baton, one hip sticking outwards and straining the leather that trapped his body and his green eyes were viewing her almost lazily; it was a sigh that made her own breath quicken and she had to force herself to control it. "You ready?"

"For you, always." The tone of his voice told her that the other implications of her comment hadn't gone unnoticed and she felt herself shiver as he pushed himself casually upright and walked over to her. "Though I must admit, I'm wondering why you picked me and not one of the others."

"It's quite simple, I couldn't go into battle without my knight, could I?" She answered, enjoying how his cheeks went a light pink under his mask. "And also you're the newbie, I wanted to keep an eye on you. Who knows, you might learn something from this about how to really put on a show."

"I know I'll have a good teacher," He grinned at her before he leant over the edge. "And I'd hate for you to have to punish me." His words were barely a whisper but she still heard them and they made her smile. Before she could respond though, he had pulled back from the edge and asked her in his normal voice "So where are we going from?"

"We all meet up on the middle floor," She told him. "And we're going straight there."

He looked at her confused before he looked back at the long drop ending with the strip of busy tarmac. "How?" He asked raising an eyebrow. "I know cats always land on their feet but I'm not too sure about bugs."

She laughed and shook her head at him. "How you underestimate me kitty cat." She sighed as she took her yoyo tightly in her hand and stepped right up to the edge of the roof so her toes hung freely in mid-air. "Hold on to me."

"Like this?" Chat Noir tentatively stood next to her and took her arm like she was about to lead him across the street, making her snort.

"No, like this." She said as she wound her hand behind him, placing it on the small of his back and pulling him closer to her so his front was pressing against her side. He made a small huffing noise before his arms tightened around her shoulders, securing himself in place. He looked down at her, realising how ridiculous they must look with him being taller than her, and gave her a cocky grin.

"You like to move quickly." He commented and he heard her stifle another snort.

"I'd like to see you act so cocky after I'm finished." She smirked dangerously up at him before she slowly started to tip forwards. Before Chat Noir could react, she wrapped her arm around his middle and pulled him down with her, sending them both plummeting through the air that slapped at his face.

Ladybug heard him loudly curse as he clung to her and she gave a little chuckle. "Just like I thought." She said softly, her words whipped away as they fell so he didn't hear her. Instead of focusing on the steadily approaching ground below, she looked straight ahead at the panes of glass that winked at them as they passed, their speed increasing until they formed a shimmering blur. It was only then, when Adrien was wondering who would take his place at the station, when she acted. Twisting her body in mid-air, she threw her yoyo up towards the top of the building where it expertly hooked around the catch of an open window. She then yanked at the string and it suddenly froze, sending a jolt through both of their bodies as they swung, still at great speed, towards the window.

"Hold on!" He heard her yell just before they both hit the glass and powered straight through it, sending shards flying everywhere as Chat Noir curled himself around her and landed on his back. He let out a sharp cry of pain but he didn't let go of her and he allowed their momentum to roll them away from the sea of broken glass before they came to a stop a good few metres from the hole they had just left. He let out a long sigh as he lay there, feeling another chest panting hard against his and he groaned as he gently shook all his limbs. None broken, he thought when each one responded perfectly, but I am going to be sore tomorrow. And I just recovered from Ladybug…

His eyes shot open at her name and he gasped when he saw her blue eyes staring down inches from his face, far closer than he had thought she was. Their panting for breath was in sync as they stayed pressed together, leather against spandex, as her breathless eyes still stared down at him, her skin pink from the exertion and free from the glass. Adrien looked down at his arms momentarily and swore when he saw they were zigzagged in little red cuts from using them as a shield. He silently blessed whoever had given his police shirts long sleeves before his gaze went back to the figure who still hadn't moved. He caught Ladybug looked down at them too with something like concern in her eyes before she suddenly pushed herself off of him and stood upright, looking around for anyone else who had heard before she offered a hand and hauled him upwards, ignoring how he winced a little on the way up.

"You didn't need to do that." She told him, her voice softer than usual though it still sounded like a reprimand. "I, unlike you, have protective clothing all over. You should have just left me to deal with myself and worried only about you."

"I'm sorry my Lady," He answered, still a little winded but still able to carry off a wide smile. "As your knight, I just wanted to protect you as much as I could. And also," He leaned in so his breath was tickling her ear. "I quite liked the feeling of you in my arms."

The remark, coupled with how close he was and that goddamn smile, was nearly enough to break her smooth mask but she just kept it in place as she lifted her finger to his nose and gently rammed his head back, laughing at the surprise on his face and how he had to fight to stay balanced. "In case you've forgotten, we have a mission," She laughed at him, shaking her finger from side to side as he beamed up at her. He just couldn't wipe the smile off his face when she was staring back at him like that, her eyes lit up in a challenge he couldn't resist. "We can't keep the others waiting."

"Of course not my Lady." He agreed as they both took off down the corridor, shaking as much of the glass from their clothing as they could, making the carpet glitter in their wake. They ran down the long stretches of corridor that was lit only by buzzing computer screens left on all night by careless workers, the sound following them like they were being chased by a swarm of bees. Chat Noir soon found himself staring around the walls for security cameras and when he spotted the first one, he threw his arm in front of Ladybug to halt her. For a moment, she looked like she was about to snap at him until she followed his line of sight and grinned.

"Would you mind Chat Noir?" She asked with a little flicking gesture at it, her voice like syrup.

"With pleasure." He said before he flung himself at the wall and scaled it effortlessly, moving like a real cat as his makeshift claws dug deep groves in the wall. He then swung his baton through the air, hitting the camera square in the centre and causing it to cave it. It gave one last electrical splutter of life before it died and he leapt back to the ground, his eyes still on the ceiling to admire his handiwork.

"Hmm. Not bad." Ladybug hummed in approval, watching pieces of the camera drop to the ground with amusement written on her face.

"That's not the only thing I'm good at." She heard him say from directly beside her and she giggled as she pushed him away again, her hand lingering on his chest for a little longer than necessary.

"Very funny." She added drolly before they both froze at the sound of approaching footsteps running towards them. Chat Noir looked around wildly for the source but Ladybug stayed in place, a calm smile spreading across her face as she looked at him. "Now, watch what I can do."

Before he could ask her what she meant, they were interrupted by two large burly guys in a dark blue uniform, both holding guns that they pointed at the pair of them. "Intruders, stand down!" One of them yelled and Chat was ready to hold his hands up in surrender but before he could even blink, Ladybug had launched herself into battle.

He watched speechlessly as she ran towards the two of them, taking them both by surprise so they couldn't have reacted even if they had had a second to think. With one swift movement, she threw her yoyo and curled it around one man's ankle before she jerked it back and sent him flying into the nearest wall which he hit with a loud thud before slumping to the ground unconscious. She then wasted no time and ran towards the second man who was had raised his arm about to shoot but before his finger could even find the trigger, she had kicked it from his hand, making him cry out in pain as his wrist cracked. Then, showing no mercy, she threw herself into the air again and delivered another spinning kick to his face. All the man could do was groan as he lay on the ground before she kicked him again and he was out cold like his friend. Ladybug stared at both of them, carefully making sure neither of them were awake before she looked back at a stunned Chat Noir and beckoned him to follow her.

"Cat got your tongue?" She teased him before she looked at him seriously and began to run off. "Come on, the others should already be there by now!"

"Urgh… coming!" Feeling finally returned to his legs as he bolted after her, his head still trying to wrap itself around what had just happened. He had known she was fast-the woman had been able to dodge a bullet, for God's sake- but that scene had been like watching a legend unfurl. He dared a quick look over at her as they ran and saw her expression had barely changed. Her eyes were still locked determinedly in front of her and there was only a faint pink flush on her skin to even hint that she had been exerting herself at all. The effect of that was extremely alluring and when Ladybug ground to a sudden halt, he had to quickly wrench his eyes away to avoid being caught staring.

"This is it." He heard her say gleefully, pressing her folded hands underneath her chin as she looked around in delight. They were in the very core of the building where it had been hollowed out into what looked like a large courtyard, formed almost like the stone in the centre of a fruit. The space felt a lot less formal with a few cafés dotted around and benches for people to sit and enjoy the greenery that had been planted there by the bosses for their employee's enjoyment. It was a small paradise inside the intimidating building-and this was the place where the akumas would make their statement.

"It's the perfect canvas, don't you agree?" Ladybug asked him proudly as she looked around. He could almost hear the ideas buzzing in her head as she wondered what she could do to the place and that made him shudder. "Exactly what Hawkmoth would want. And it looks like we're the first ones here."

"Maybe the others got held up." Chat Noir offered as he casually strolled around the place, admiring it before the hell that was arriving could destroy it. "Why, are you already bored my Lady?"

He heard her chuckle again, the sound deep and throaty and altogether entrancing. "Maybe," She answered, turning around on her heels to face him, her fingers gently placed on her lips. "Are you offering to be my distraction?"

What am I doing? Adrien could feel the beads of sweat forming on the back of his neck, the dampness a reminder that what he was doing was madness, but it didn't stop him from strolling back to her, his body leaning so close to hers he was breathing in her heady scent. "That depends on the distraction," He purred, feeling her inch closer and the danger increase around him. The air around them now felt so thick, he could he could bite it but the only thing in his vision were her lidded eyes that were slowly becoming a drug. "But I'm sure as your knight, I would be willing to try anything you ask of me."

The space around them was now so pressurised, he was surprised they hadn't turned into diamonds already. He could feel the blood rushing from his head as he couldn't think at all. This was way beyond what he was supposed to be doing but in that moment he didn't care that he had a mission at all. She was there and she was so close, he was drowning in her eyes all over again and it was then when he noticed there were freckles peeping out from just under her mask that were peppered all over her cheekbones. Those are so cute, he thought and he wanted to laugh at the thought of Ladybug being called cute, especially after what he had just witnessed. Still, those thoughts weren't enough to stop his hand reaching upwards of its own accord, wanting to brush his thumb over those freckles and see how they felt, maybe even taste them with his lips…

That train of thought was sharply ended when the sound of voices came spilling into the room and they hurriedly jumped away from each other as Stoneheart and Evillustrator came bursting into the room. Stoneheart had his usual stoic expression on his face but Evillustrator was looking between the pair of them furiously. His face had a small smirk of pleasure on it, showing he knew he had interrupted something but he was still mainly angry that something had been going on that he needed to interrupt.

"Ladybug!" He said, deliberately turning towards her and away from Chat Noir. "We can affirm that there are no longer any guards or workers or any sort in the lower section of the building. There were some but we took care of them." Both he and Stoneheart grinned manically and Chat Noir had to force himself not to think of what that meant. "Any sign of the others?"

"No, we only just got here ourselves," Ladybug told him, making his fleeting smile reappear happily. "The girls should be here any second." As if by magic, both Lady Wifi and Princess Fragrance suddenly dashed in from the other side of the room, giving their leader a wave as they ran over.

"Nothing to report from up there!" Lady Wifi cheerfully affirmed with a point up to the ceiling. "We didn't meet a soul."

"Good." Ladybug nodded, seemingly unruffled by what had just happened though her eyes still looked a little dazed. "We can get started." She cracked her knuckles loudly before stretching out her arms, looking like a dancer about to start a routine though the end effect would be anything but beautiful. "Chat Noir?" She said, angling her head back to face him, making him almost jump out of his skin and Evillustrator scowl. "Are you ready for this?"

He smiled as he gave another quick bow, making her smile and Evillustrator scowl even harder with eyes of ice. "Ready and willing my Lady," He answered. "Just tell me what to do."

OOO

"You've had this coming for a long time Chat Noir…"

"Wait, hold on, you can't be serious…"

"Oh we're serious…now shut up and take it like a man…"

"You might want to close your eyes Chat…"

"Wait, I'm not ready… argh-guggug!"

Chat Noir's words of protest were swept away as his mouth was filled with burning liquid that made his eyes water. On his skin, it felt ice cold as he was drenched in the stuff, the leather of his clothes now clinging to him like a second skin as the akumas around him laughed and cheered. He laughed along with them, wiping away the wet blond strands of hair that had stuck to his forehead as he licked his lips. "Well," He said once he had got his breath back and his throat no longer felt on fire. "At least you didn't get the cheap stuff."

"The cheap stuff?" Lady Wifi cut in, shouting outraged. "How dare you sir! For a ceremony like this, we only get the best quality. We are many things but cheap is not one of them!" For added effect, she waved the now empty bottle of vodka in front of his face, proving to him it was of a good quality.

"Great, now the newbie has been ordained," A voice called from the other side of the room. "We can party!"

The cheering that arose from that comment nearly took the ceiling off as loud music started pumping through the walls, making them quake, and the alcohol started to flow, this time going in people's mouths instead of over their heads. Chat Noir looked down at the six bottles strewn at his feet and he had to laugh. Reflekta also hadn't mentioned this odd little ceremony that took place after every akuma's first raid but at least this time, it hadn't resulted in him getting beaten up. Completely sodden and with drops of the strong alcohol still shimmering like crystal on his body, he made his way over to the nearest wall to lean against it and survey the party which he realised was probably the craziest thing he had ever seen in his life.

He had never seen so many people packed into such a small space before and he had never seen so many people who looked so outlandish. All of the akumas were here, every single one in a mood to celebrate after what the six had just pulled off, and they were all still in their akuma form. Adrien could feel that his eyes were wide as saucers as he stared at all the things happening around him-holy shit, does that guy have wings? And she's in ful monster get up, I would be scared if she weren't dancing like that- as the disco lights roamed through the darkness and lit up different sections of the room in different coloured lights. He chuckled at it all, feeling his shoulder shake with it against the brick wall, and he slowly shook his head. This really was a crazy world he had dived head-first into, yet there was strangely no part of him that regretted it.

He scoured the room for Ladybug, wondering if she was dancing like the rest of them tangled up on the dance floor, but he couldn't see her among the crowd. He looked up at the trapdoor, the only entrance to the outside world from this claustrophobic party room, and he had a sudden desire to be outside. The air felt sticky on his throat and his lungs were crying out for some cold clean night breeze to clear them, plus he also needed to dry all the vodka off him. Creeping across the room, ignoring some of the female akumas who looked like they wanted to lick all the remaining alcohol from his body, he reached the trapdoor and quickly heaved it open and sped out, not wanting too much of the loud music to escape into the quiet night. He let out a sigh of relief when it was closed again and took a moment to stand up and brush some stubborn droplets from his arms.

"Need a hand?"

He almost jumped back through the trapdoor when the soft sultry voice came out of nowhere, planting his foot firmly on his belt tail and nearly falling from the roof as he panicked. When he turned around, he let out another sigh as his upper half flopped in relief.

"Oh boy… It's you my Lady. You gave me a fright there, I think I lost one of my nine lives."

"Sorry about that," Ladybug giggled, her hand coming up to her mouth as she tried not to laugh harder. "You just looked very preoccupied. I'm guessing you've just been ordained?"

"Yep." Chat noir affirmed, shaking his limbs in a poor attempt to get drier quicker. "Honestly, baptised in vodka… who came up with that idea?"

"I don't know," She answered wistfully as if she was seriously considering the tradition. "It's just one of those things that we did once as a group and then we carried on with the newbies. It was kinda fun, wasn't it?"

"That's one word for it." He muttered and he heard her laugh again. He took the moment to look up at her and almost automatically he wished he hadn't. She was standing a few paces away with her back half-turned away from him, giving a flawless view of her profile as she stared up at the moon and stars above them. The deep red of the suit was a splash of colour against the concrete grey landscape and inky black sky, marking her out almost as a beacon, and the night air was slowly dragging on her red hair ribbons, making them lightly flutter like enticing fingers. She stood up straight and proud with her head tilted upwards and her hands behind her back, like she was waiting for something as she coolly fidgeted with her yoyo. He gulped; there was no chance of him going back down to the party now.

"Shouldn't you be down there having fun?" She asked him after a long pause where all he did was stare at her and all she did was stare up at the stars. "You did earn it after all; your performance earlier was exceedingly good."

"Shouldn't you be as well?" He returned after a moment of steeling himself so he didn't stammer. "You lead the whole thing and if my performance was good, yours was spectacular."

She giggled and he felt himself melt. That was the sound he remembered from their first meeting, that girlish sound that was almost strange coming from her but that strangeness made it all the more beautiful. It was a sound he never wanted to stop and when it did, he could almost taste his disappointment.

"I've been to too many of those akuma parties to count." He heard her say. "I enjoy them but sometimes I just need a moment to just be quiet and reflect. Do you get what I mean?"

"Perfectly. I felt just the same way down there." He told her, daring to take a step towards her and hoping she couldn't tell. "Sometimes everything just gets too suffocating and you need a minute to breathe."

"Yes. That's exactly it." Her smile was soft as she looked back at him and an understanding seemed to pass between the two of them. He gave up trying to shake away all the thin drips that still stuck to his skin; he couldn't feel the cold anymore anyway. He stood next to her and looked up at the sky the way she was, trying very hard not to think of the fact that if they both raised their hands, they would touch.

"What do you see when you look up at the stars Chat Noir?"

"Err…" Was this some kind of trick? He couldn't think of any kind of clever response so he ended up blurting out the first thing that came to his head. "Stars?"

He could hear her rolling her eyes at him and felt his cheeks go red with embarrassment. "I guessed that much smart guy. I meant what do you see _in_ them. What do they mean to you?"

"Ah, I see that now." He chuckled, still squirming a little in shame before he drew his attention back to the night sky where the stars twinkled down at them both like they too were eagerly awaiting his answer. "I guess for me they are… security. When I was little, I was taught all the constellations by my mother and she told me to see the sky as one giant map." He gave a short laugh but it sounded melancholic in the ringing air and he stopped quickly with a sigh. "She always told me that if I was ever lost, I could use the stars to find my way and I could always find my way home. She believed that so firmly…" He lowered his head so he was staring down at his feet. "They couldn't help her and lead her back to us though."

Ladybug didn't say anything but he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder and that was enough to urge him on. "Now when I see them, they remind me of her in a way. They make me feel sad but also… secure. I like to think she's still there somewhere." He looked over at her and saw she was still focused determinedly on the sky. "What about you?"

"They don't mean something that special to me," She answered, not removing her hand from his shoulder. "I like looking up at them. They help me to think and clear my head." She gave a little laugh and he saw her dip her head slightly. "You know; I was once told that there were more universes out there than there were stars in the sky but I didn't believe them. I couldn't even imagine how there could be that many universes, each a little different to our own. It used to scare me but now I find it reassuring." She smiled sadly before she raised her head back up and he heard her lightly murmur. "Who knows, maybe in one of them…"

She sighed, ruining any chance of him asking her what those cryptic words meant, and then she turned her eyes to his. Somehow the darkness around them seemed to magnify the blue, making him wonder why he needed to look at the night sky at all when it looked like all the stars above them had been packed into her eyes. She smiled again at his awestruck expression, this time looking happier as the corners of her eyes lifted a little with her lips and she glowed against the night. It only made him stare more as he felt her hand move away from his shoulder and trail down his arm, making a slow winding path along each of his muscles before pausing at his hand like she was about to take his fingers in her own.

"You should go back down to the party." She told him. "You should be down there having fun, not stuck up here with me and my stupid whimsies." She looked cross with herself in that moment and she made to turn away but she couldn't; Chat Noir had grabbed her wrist and was holding her in place.

"I don't want to," He said, looking her in the eyes so she knew he was serious. "I prefer being out here with you, my Lady. I like the peace and quiet away from all that. And I quite like your whimsies. They're…cute."

He braced himself, almost expecting to get clouted for calling the most terrifying woman in Paris cute but all he heard was a soft "OK." When he looked back at her, she had skilfully freed her wrist from his grasp but she was looking back up at the stars again, acting like she hadn't even moved. But there was something different about the atmosphere around them, something that told him he was welcome to stay. He did stay, letting himself dry off naturally and not caring about the cold; his face looked up to the sky but his eyes never left the woman next to him. She was acting like he wasn't there but he knew that she could feel his eyes on her and she didn't say a thing.

It was only a loud sound, one of dustbins clashing together to alert the coming of the morning, that tore his gaze away and when he looked back, she was gone. He stared at the spot she had been standing on, wondering how she had managed to disappear without making a noise or anything. Her sudden absence felt like a hole had been scooped from his stomach and that was when everything hit him like a wrecking ball or one of Ladybug's yoyo attacks. He smacked his palm against his forehead as it all dawned on him and he could only mutter two words.

"Oh shit."


	9. Chapter 9

For the first time in his entire career, Adrien was ten minutes late and was really not feeling up to work. His feet were dragging along the pavement, scuffing his shoes as he trudged towards the station. He could practically feel the dark circles forming under his eyes as he had to force his eyelids to remain open and his brain felt full of static as almost choked in his effort to get more coffee down his throat. The brown concoction was so strong and full of sugar, it felt like he was drinking treacle mixed with grit but it didn't seem to be having its usual effect on him. Note to self, he thought as he saw the police station up ahead and had to suppress a groan, don't ever go drinking with akumas and stay up all night ever again. He had barely got back to his apartment before his alarm rang and everything had hit him all at once like a brick wall. Nope, he told himself again as he took another drag and nearly walked into a lamp post. Never again.

He wondered if he would get much of a choice though; the akumas all seemed determined to party and he had to be seen to be one of them if he didn't want them to get suspicious. Maybe he could just stay on the roof with Ladybug. She hadn't seemed to mind his company last night… He forced himself to stop thinking, not wanting to go back down that route. Ever since his epiphany earlier, he had resolved himself not to think of her unless absolutely necessary. He couldn't allow himself this weakness, it could damage the whole case. He had always said Ladybug was the key to getting to Hawkmoth; what would Nino say if he told him he had fallen in love with his target?

No, not love, he strictly told himself as he walked through the station door and went to clock in. This couldn't be love. Sure he greatly respected her and thought she was amazing and he found her greatly attractive but he refused to believe it was love. It's just lust, he thought, dumping the sickly remains of his coffee and going to get a new one. Of course it is. It's perfectly understandable, she is a beautiful woman, not to mention incredibly powerful and sexy… OK stop right now Adrien. He shook his head and took a breath as he rubbed his forehead in an attempt to soothe those thoughts away. He didn't want to face it but he knew it wasn't true. He didn't just want to take her that way (though he was pretty sure if that ever happened, it would be her taking him), he wanted to get to know her. There was so much he didn't understand about her, her real motives, what she did every day, even silly things like her favourite foods and what music she liked. He wanted her to just be near him always and that wasn't a mark of pure lust and want. This was different… but he wasn't going to admit it.

He walked into his office, expecting to be immediately set upon by a concerned Nino demanding to know what had happened to him, but instead he heard nothing but a little hum of satisfaction and a soft voice saying "Finally." He turned around and almost jumped when he saw who was actually in his office. Sitting in Adrien's chair like it was her own, with her legs crossed and a pen twirling elegantly through her fingers, was Marinette, happily working on some of his paperwork as she hummed a tune he didn't recognise. When she looked up and saw him staring at her, she gave a wide smile and stood up, flicking the pen lid at him and hitting him on the tip of his nose, making him flinch.

"Ouch." He said, more out of surprise than actual pain and she laughed.

"Serves you right for keeping me waiting," She mock-scolded him, waving the lidless pen at him still with that smile on her face. "And for lying to me."

"What?" He stared at her stunned. "When did I lie to you?"

"Remember that night at the Kwami Café?" She asked him and he briefly nodded, having no clue what she was getting at. "I distinctly remember you saying that you didn't go out much with your job and all… and yet here you are, ten minutes late, a large very strong coffee in your hand, looking like you haven't slept and," She stepped closer to him and took a deep sniff, grinning slyly when she looked up at him so closely. "You positively reek of booze. You went out on an all-nighter, didn't you?"

Damnit! Adrien cursed the akuma tradition suddenly as he struggled to think of an excuse. He had spent almost a quarter of an hour in the shower, trying to rid himself of the smell of alcohol that clung to his skin and he had worn his strongest cologne but it obviously hadn't worked. "Yeah I did." He eventually said, trying to sound bashful about it as she squealed. It wasn't a total lie after all; it had technically been an all-nighter. "You must be having an influence on me."

"I really must be, if that's all it took." She grinned again with her hands on her hips, the stance looking a little familiar but before he could fully process it, she had moved and was speaking again. "Anyway, much as I'd love to hear about your exploits, we have a serious job to do. There was another akuma attack last night but this one is unlike any I or anyone else has seen before. It's unbelievable and we need to get down to the scene now. Nino's already there, he said he tried calling you earlier but he didn't get a response…" She smiled knowingly at him and he could feel his cheeks go pink at her watchful eyes that he knew weren't missing a thing. "So he insisted I say here and wait for you to show up. So, c'mon, drink your coffee and let's go."

She swiped the keys from the top of his desk and had already swept past him and was at the door before he could even say a thing, her eyes boring impatiently into his back. With a sigh of resignation, he downed the rest of the hot black liquid and threw the cup into the nearby bin before following her out. He watched her pigtails swinging across her shoulder blades like two pendulums and he almost moaned out loud when he realised why Nino had insisted she say behind instead of him. He growled, his energy fuelled only by caffeine and total stubbornness. Nino was really going to pay this morning.

OOO

It didn't take them long to reach the tall building the akumas had ransacked the night before and Marinette was easily able to find a parking space by the entrance as all the workers had been told to stay home until the building had officially been cleared. Adrien felt a little guilty as he walked up the short steps that lead to the entrance; if he looked up he could see the hole in the side of the building left from where he and Ladybug had ploughed through it. He gave a little glance down at his arms and was thankful the thin blue fabric was a little loose around his arms and didn't let the outlines of the dozen or so plasters that were covering his wounds show. That made him think of what Ladybug had said to him about protecting her, that he shouldn't have done it. He had known it would hurt but he still did it anyway, he had wanted to protect her above anything else…

He forced himself away from that train of thought and instead focused on following Marinette, who automatically lead him straight to the crime scene. Just before they reached it, she turned around and gave him a gentle warning, her face looking stern as she took a peep through the door.

"Be careful where you step, there's a lot of damage… And it takes a while for it all to soak in. This is something on a whole new scale so be prepared, OK?"

Adrien nodded silently as she finally opened the door and let him in. he had to gasp, knowing he had to fake surprise but the shock he felt was all too real. He had seen it all last night, participated in it even, but in the light it looked so new and so different, he couldn't help but be shocked at how the once peaceful space had been turned into a war zone. Everything had been trashed; every single window had been shattered and the ground was now carpeted in broken glass, the plants had been almost shredded with the green sprinkled throughout the spikes of pointed crystal and the little stalls were now slumped to the ground like weary broken men. Adrien scanned over it all, his eyes barely taking everything in. How had he not realised it? It seemed the darkness did hide a multitude of sins. He knew what they had done elsewhere in the building, taking money, technology, stripped it all bare but this seemed the greatest insult. He could see Marinette staring at the far wall and he didn't want to turn around already knowing what was there and not wanting to have to witness it in the cold unforgiving light of day. It was only the feeling of her curious eyes on him that made him finally do it.

He turned around and faced the wall, his eyes going wide at what had been scrawled all over it. A gigantic mural had been painted there, one that could have been beautiful if the meaning behind it hadn't been so clear. It showed a large purple butterfly with its wings sprawled out, the details on the pattern made to look like grey human eyes staring down at them. It looked so life-like, so real, it seemed like any moment, it would fly away, the clawed points of the wings ready to grab at the people milling about below. Around the giant butterfly there were more designs that circled it protectively like a shield; a pink perfume bottle almost engulfed by a pink powdery mist, a heart made of stone nestled amongst green, a spray can dusting the wall around it with purple and orange, a white Wifi symbol against a cold black background. Then at the very top, close enough to the butterfly to look like it was kissing it, was a ladybug that almost seemed to be bowing to the butterfly. Just above that was another design that really made Adrien's heart stop; a black paw print that now had the new addition of a glowing green cat's eye on the palm. It was the design he had painted there last night, one he had spent his time on as his fellow akumas wreaked havoc on the place behind him and he felt sick looking at it now. It was a stark warning to everyone who saw it, a warning of how powerful Hawkmoth was that his gangs could break into one of the most secure buildings in the city and leave his mark at the very core. He thought back to Ladybug's words and shuddered. A statement indeed.

"Looks like you were right. Chat Noir is definitely an akuma now." A voice said behind him and Adrien whipped around to see Nino walking towards him. He wanted to scowl at his friend for leaving him to get picked up by Marinette but, not wanting to draw her suspicions, he just nodded as his friend got closer and stood next to him. "And if that mural is anything to go by, he's got in pretty close with Ladybug…"

Adrien gave him a warning glance and Nino quickly shut his mouth before he turned awkwardly to see Marinette was still standing there. Thankfully, she too seemed to be absorbed by the cruel artwork, her face stonily still as she viewed it coldly. The way she was standing, her head up with her hands behind her back, was curiously jolting some sense of familiarity in him that made Adrien stare at her too, trying to figure out why it seemed that way. She saw the other two watching her and she shook her head, softly biting her lip as she tore her eyes away from the wall.

"I should… go see what's happening." She said quickly, sounding almost desperate to get away before she almost ran back through the door they came through. Both men stared after her before Nino began to speak.

"I wonder what's up with her… she looked almost sick when she saw it before. I guess the seriousness of it hit her pretty hard." He looked back at Adrien and gave him a smug smile. "Did she say anything about it when you two were driving over _alone_?"

"I can't believe you did that!" Adrien almost shouted at him, his cheeks suddenly flushed red as Nino laughed. "Seriously man, why are you trying to set me up with her?"

"Because she's perfect for you, that's why!" Nino replied earnestly, still laughing. "I mean, seriously bro, how can you not see it? You're both great at your job, the _same_ job if I might add, you're both smart, you have the same warped sense of humour and you both like throwing pens at people… yes she threw one at me earlier," He added at Adrien's confused expression. "Dude, she's exactly your type! And she's single…"

"You asked her?" Adrien groaned, wondering how much more obvious his friend could get "That is not cool!"

"I didn't ask her, I asked Alya when I spoke to her yesterday," Nino replied, Adrien being too mad to ask why he was talking to her. "And you should totally ask her out dude, before that Nathanaël bloke does…"

"Nino, quit it, seriously," Adrien glared at him. "I told you, I don't need a girlfriend! And I don't have a type, I won't have a type until this investigation is over!"

"Oh… so now you're asking her out after the case is closed?" Nino grinned at him and Adrien had never been more tempted to hit him in his life.

"No that isn't what I meant and you know it!" He cried out. "Shouldn't we be doing something instead of standing here arguing anyway?"

"Funny you should say that…" Nino smiled at him in a way that made Adrien feel like he shouldn't trust him. "I do have a job for you. It's incredibly necessary for the entire force."

"OK… what is it?"

"We need you to go on a coffee run." Nino beamed at Adrien's stunned face before pressing a few notes into his hand along with a piece of folded white paper. "These are everyone's orders and the money we all pooled together. If there's anything left over, get some sweets, yeah?"

"Are you kidding me?!" Adrien stared at him in astonishment. "You want me to go get coffee?"

"You're the only one not covered in bits of glass mate," Nino shrugged at him like he couldn't help it even if he tried. "And we're all thirsty. Besides, by the smell of you, you might need to get out a bit and have one as well."

Adrien felt like his face was on fire as Nino smirked at him. He was really beginning to hate that tradition. "Fine." He eventually relented, still giving his friend a cross glare. "If everyone else is busy…" His eyes widened in surprise as he unfolded the paper and looked down at all the orders scrawled there. "How many?! Christ Nino, how do you expect me to bring back this many orders? I don't have that many arms!"

"I have an idea." Nino gave an evil smile before he turned back to the door where Marinette had just emerged with some other officers. "Hey Marinette! Do you mind helping Adrien with the coffee run?"

"Sure, no problem!" She smiled back and gave a thumbs-up, seemingly relieved to be back out of the room and away from the mural. "We can go straight away!"

"Nino…" Adrien growled lowly with a glare but it was too late; Marinette was already approaching and he didn't want to voice anything in case he sounded rude. She prised the list from his clutched fist and read it once before smiling over at Nino gratefully.

"OK, see you later guys!" She called out cheerfully and almost the entire room waved her off. She sure seems to be popular, Adrien thought before he felt a steely hand around his arm and he was suddenly lurched out of place, Marinette dragging him from the room like he was a sack of flour. The last thing he saw when he looked back was Nino's face grinning in triumph as he waved him off and it made him scowl again. Right, he thought as he was firmly lead back through the corridors. Now he really was going to pay.

OOO

Once they were free from the oppressive building, Marinette let go of his arm and they were able to walk down the street side by side. Adrien felt a little better as he walked down the street under the warmth of the morning sun but the new sunshine wasn't enough to thaw the tension that seemed to hold Marinette in a vice-like grip. She was staring down at the pavement as she walked with him, her fists tucked tightly under her arms like she was trying to burrow into herself. It was slightly unnerving for him to see; he was so used to seeing her confident and carefree so this side of her almost seemed unnatural. Unsure of what to do, he walked with her in silence for a few moments before he tentatively spoke.

"Hey, Marinette? Are you OK? You seem a little out of it."

She jerked her head up and he could see her lips were a startling pink from where she had been pressing them together for so long. He could also see that she had been biting them as they were marked with a small splash of red which she quickly licked away. She let out a sigh as her arms dropped to her sides and she finally looked at him, her eyes blue pools of anxiety.

"I guess I am a little," She confessed, dragging a hand across her forehead slowly. "It's just the sight of that damn mural, it makes me feel so sick and angry inside each time I see it but I'm scared too. If the akumas can do that, what else can they do? It just feels like they are taunting us, flexing their muscles to show what they can do and I can't stand it, I don't like feeling this… powerless." She looked over at Adrien after her angry outburst before her cheeks went red and her eyes were drawn back to the pavement in embarrassment. "I'm sorry… you don't want to hear me whinging on."

"It's OK, seriously," Adrien replied as he reached out and put his hand on her shoulder reassuringly. She flinched a little in surprise but she didn't push him away. "We all get like that sometimes. I know I did on my first few cases and especially on this one. I was so scared of letting everyone down and making myself look a fool that I just threw myself into it without a care. I tend to do that a lot."

"I've heard." She answered and they both laughed, feeling the tension ease off. She looked at him and gave another smile before she went on. "You know, even before this case reopened, I'd heard your name around the station. You were known as one of the most determined cops in the whole force, some people called you suicidal when they heard the cases you were going after. Heck I think a lot of people thought you were crazy."

"I'm not going to dispute that." Adrien said, making her laugh before she replied in a more serious tone.

"What makes you do it though? I know I asked you once before and you said justice but is that really the only reason?"

She saw his slightly alarmed face and quickly went to backtrack, looking away from him as her cheeks flared crimson. "Not that I'm saying you were lying, it just usually there is something more… if I'm getting personal, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable…"

"Marinette, it's OK, I'm not uncomfortable." She heard him chuckle slightly and when she looked back at him, he was smiling at her calmly. "I get what you meant and if I'm honest, you are kind of right there. There is another reason but it's a lot more complicated than just justice. It just has to do with where I come from."

Marinette smiled with relief before a curious look came over her face. "Do you mean you were dirt poor or something? That isn't anything to be ashamed of."

"I know it isn't," He answered, chuckling again in a teasing way that made her cheeks flush pink. "But it was more the opposite of that; I was filthy rich instead of dirt poor. Does my surname ring any bells with you? You must have thought of something when you heard it."

"Well yeah," She answered slowly, her mind trying to work out what he was getting at. "When I first heard your surname, I recognised as the name of that fashion house Agreste and its head designer…" She suddenly went quiet as she looked at him stunned. "No way… you're not…you're not actually…"

"I'm his son, yes." Adrien said as Marinette looked close to screaming. "His only son if you really want to know."

"OMG, you are kidding me!" She almost yelped as she stared at him. "Gabriel Agreste was one of my idols growing up and you're his son?! I can't take this, somebody hold me…" She pretending to dramatically faint and he had to laugh as he caught her, forcing her upright as she giggled. "Seriously though, I can't believe that. Now that I think about it actually… did you use to model for the company?"

"I did in my teenage years." He admitted bashfully, scratching at the back of his neck in embarrassment. "I stopped a long time ago though, I haven't done any for years."

"That's what it was!" She cried out as she slapped her hand to her forehead. When she saw him staring at her looking puzzled, she quickly withdrew her hand and explained. "Sorry, it's just when I first met you, you looked very familiar, like I knew you from somewhere and I couldn't work out why. Now I realise it must have been from all those fashion magazines I used to love reading, your father's designs were some of my favourites…" She gave him a quizzical look before she gently asked him "I know this isn't my place to ask but why did you become a cop? Anyone else with a father that stinking rich would be lying back on a beach in Ibiza somewhere like a spoiled brat, not working in a job like this." She went red again and started fiddling with her fingers, weaving them in and out of each other like she was trying to lace an invisible plait. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to, I'm just being nosy, I know."

"It's fine, I got asked the same question by Nino when he first met me," Adrien told her. "I remember he recognised me straight away but he was cool about it and didn't treat me like some sort of celebrity. I was so grateful for that, it's probably why we are such good friends."

"You two do seem pretty close, when you're not trying to kill each other." Marinette giggled and they both laughed, the tension almost gone. "Your dad must be really proud of you for doing so well in this field of work."

Adrien frowned and it was his turn to look down at the pavement. "It's a lot more complicated than that, I'm afraid."

"What do you mean?" Marinette asked, her voice softly enticing him to speak. "C'mon, I'm a cop. You can trust me." That made them both giggle again and when he looked back at her, she had such a welcoming smile on her face that he couldn't help but open up to her. She was his friend after all.

"OK. It isn't some great saga if that's what you're thinking." He said before he began. "I don't know how much you know about my dad but he's famed for being a bit of a recluse and shunning the spotlight even though he's so famous. He always was a private person but he didn't use to be like that; when I was younger he was happy to be seen out and it was mainly because of my mother." A smile formed on his lips as memories began to surface in his mind and his voice took on a new happy tone that Marinette had never heard him use before. "She was always so sunny and happy that you couldn't help but smile when she was around. She had been a model before and she was so beautiful, I was proud to say to anyone that my mother was the most beautiful woman in the world and I believed it fully. When the three of us were together, everything was perfect, I can remember us all laughing and being so happy…"

His voice trailed off and his eyes looked down at his shoes, not wanting to see the sympathy in her eyes. "Then… she got sick. Really sick. It started when I was about ten and she tried to put on a brave face but I could tell something wasn't right. My father hired the best doctors in the whole of Europe but it was too far gone. They gave her a year at best but she went on for another three. She always was stubborn." He gave a laugh and the faintest of fond smiles but it was all too quickly gone. "After she died, my relationship with my father just came to a standstill. We were both mourning her but he just seemed so cold and just shut himself away from me. He then hired me as a model for the company and I was pretty good at it but it just shut us off more. He was terrified of anything happening to me so I was privately tutored and I had so little freedoms, I was barely allowed to leave the house. I came to believe he saw me as nothing more than a piece of property and it hurt a lot. I wanted to be closer to him, to feel like his son but he withdrew into himself and I don't think anyone could have got him out."

"Oh Adrien…" He heard her whisper and he could hear how stricken she was as she put her hand on his shoulder in a copy of his own actions. "I'm so sorry… I can't believe that happened to you, you poor thing… god I never should have asked you…"

"Marinette, it's OK, I wouldn't have told you if I didn't want to." Adrien squeezed her hand softly before he carried on, now feeling a need to finish his story. "Anyway, when I was eighteen I was called to my father's office and he told me I had to sign this contract. The modelling contract I had with him expired on my eighteenth birthday and so he told me that I now had to agree to this new one. I read it and I felt horrified; this one was even worse than the one before, I had to work more hours, had even less freedoms and it even had a clause stating who I could and couldn't date and stuff like that. It was ridiculous. So I put it down and told him I didn't want to model anymore, that I wanted a different career. He asked me what and I told him I wanted to do something worthwhile with my life, something that would help people and provide a service to them. He didn't say a word and I just left the office. Three days later, I was enrolled on a course and I moved out. And that was the last time I spoke to him."

"Really? You haven't spoken to him in all that time?!" Marinette sounded shocked and Adrien could only give a sad nod to confirm it.

"Yeah, we just never spoke after that. I wonder sometimes if he even notices I'm gone. That's why I push myself so hard I guess. Even after all this time… I still want him to be proud of me."

"That's… that's so sad." Marinette finally said after a long pause. "I can't believe a father could do that to his own son. My own father won't go a day without calling me to see if I'm alright, he worries about me that much."

"Oh really?" Adrien said surprised. That almost sounded like a novelty. "Does he not trust you?"

"Oh he trusts me," She answered, giving him a sideways look like he didn't trust her abilities. "I think it's the rest of the world he doesn't trust."

"The rest of the world?" He asked, his own curiosity peaked. "How so?"

Marinette gave a chuckle at his eager face. "Guess it's my turn huh?"

"Only if you want to. I'm not going to force you to say anything if you don't want to."

"No, no, I'm fine with it and it is only fair after all." She said before she started, her fingers nervously trailing through the end of one of her pigtails as she spoke. "I guess we aren't that dissimilar, it was my family that got me into the force too."

"Why, are they cops too?"

She laughed out loud like he had just said the most ludicrous thing on the planet. "No, no, far from it! They're bakers, we have our own shop, it's actually not far from here…"

"Wait." Adrien stopped dead in the middle of the pavement, staring at her like she had just appeared there out of thin air. "Dupain-Cheng… you don't mean that bakery on the corner do you, right by the park?"

"Yes, you know it?"

"Know it? That place is amazing, they do my favourite macaroons! All the food in there is so good, I always try to get something from there if I pass it. Nino wasn't lying when he said I have a sweet tooth." Adrien could feel himself slightly blushing at the memory of when Nino had blurted out that fact at the café and he heard Marinette laugh.

"No way, I can't believe you know my parent's bakery!" She grinned at him, obviously proud of the compliments. "Hey, it isn't too far away, we should go over there!"

"We should?" Adrien repeated, sounding slightly worried. "But don't we have to get coffee for everybody…"

"They do coffee at the bakery," Marinette persisted, staring at him with wide eyes like a begging puppy. "And it really isn't far at all. The guys can wait a few extra minutes for their drinks and I'm sure I could get you some sweets…"

The combination of her eager face and the promise of sugar was too much to resist and Adrien found himself nodding with a sigh. "Alright," he said, trying to sound reluctant though by Marinette's face, it clearly wasn't working. "To the Dupain-Cheng Bakery!"

"Yes, let's go!" Suddenly Adrien found himself being dragged along again as Marinette grabbed his hand and pulled him along, whooping as she went. They were earning a lot of strange looks as Marinette bolted past them and swerved through clusters of shoppers like she was racing but Adrien found he was laughing along with her as they ran down the street like giddy school children. This is nice, he thought, surprisingly nice. He thought of what Nino was say when he got back and he had to snort in laughter. Maybe he wouldn't kill him so harshly after all.

 _I'm sorry this is a little late, I had planned to have this up so much sooner but I'm off to university next week so I have a lot of stuff to get sorted. Hopefully I won't be late again next time but I can't promise anything unfortunately. Also as another note, this is going to stay rated T-I considered M but then decided against it. Thank you all for your reviews, they really do keep me going and make me want to write-I really hope I'm not disappointing anyone :)._


	10. Chapter 10

Marinette's speed got them to the doors of the Dupain-Cheng bakery in no time at all and the minute they walked inside, Adrien was assaulted by an array of delicious warm smells that he almost gulped down in his haste to taste them all. On the outside, the tall elegant white building that perched on the corner of the street looked more like an ordinary Parisian house, only hinting of the magic that went on inside that was displayed in the glass windows and cases all around him. As his eyes travelled across the seas of golden pastries, coloured creams and glazed fruits, he wasn't sure what he wanted to try first. It all looked so good, he wondered how Marinette had stayed so slim; he was certain if he lived in a place like this, he would never have been able to model anything. He heard a giggle from beside him and he turned to see Marinette had her fingers knotted over mouth to try and stifle the sounds bubbling from it.

"Sorry!" She spluttered out when she saw him looking at her with a small frown. "You just looked so awed… you know these are just pastries, not gold right?"

"This is way better than gold." He snorted in response, causing her to giggle harder until her eyes spotted movement in the back of the shop and she ran to the counter.

"Mama! Papa!"

"Marinette!" Two overjoyed voices joined her chorus as a man and a woman stepped out from the back and engulfed her in a giant bear hug that she returned happily, not caring that her organs were being squashed. Adrien stared at the joyful reunion, watching as the woman pecked softly at Marinette's face and the man started asking her questions about what she had been doing, and he felt a twinge of sadness in his chest. So these are her parents, he thought, they look so happy to see her even though it can't have been that long since they last spoke if they are that close. He sighed; he doubted his father would gave him a welcome like that even if they hadn't spoken for years.

"It's so good to see you sweetheart!" The woman proudly exclaimed as she examined her daughter closely. She had a close resemblance to Marinette, sharing her black hair and creamy skin, though her hair was cut short in a bob and there were streaks of white flour on her cheeks making her look like she had whiskers. Her delicate features looked more Oriental and she was shorter than either of her family members but she had a no-nonsense air about her that made even Adrien think twice about trying anything. "I swear you've gotten skinner since the last time I saw you…" She drew her eyes away from Marinette as she squirmed away giggling and saw Adrien standing there awkwardly, her face instantly lighting up. "You didn't tell us you were bringing a friend!"

"Oh yeah," Marinette turned around and yanked Adrien closer, ignoring the look of sheer panic on his face. "This is Adrien, we're working on a case together. He's one of the best in the business, I've never known anyone so dedicated to their work plus he's a good friend of mine." Adrien looked at her, surprised by the compliments but she stared back steadily like she was just stating facts.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Adrien. I'm Tom, Marinette's father and this is my wife Sabine." Tom Dupain-Cheng smiled at him as he stretched out a flour-coated hand for him to shake. He was a tall, powerful looking man with arm muscles that were probably bigger than all of his put together and Adrien could help but gulp a little when he offered his own hand up to potentially be crushed. Thankfully, he found that he was a lot gentler than he seemed and when he looked up into his round face that sat on the top of his huge shoulders, he saw there was a smile underneath his moustache. "It's nice to see Marinette bring a friend here for once. I was beginning to think you didn't like anybody at the station Mari."

"Papa…" Marinette whined, her cheeks red as her father winked at her but Adrien didn't notice as suddenly his arm was grabbed again and he was yanked closer to the counter. Why does everybody in this family want to cut off circulation in my arm? He thought before he was confronted with Sabine's razor-sharp eyes that stared deeply into his before the rest of him was then subjected to close inspection. He stood there motionless, unsure of what to do as they all went silent, and he stared directly at Marinette, pleading her with his eyes to intervene but she was too busy holding back her laughter at his panicked expression.

Eventually, once Adrien felt like he had been put through a whole CAT scan, Sabine looked back up and glanced over at her husband and daughter. "Marinette," She insisted firmly. "This boy is even skinnier than you! I'm beginning to think you police officers don't eat at all! He needs to be fed up!"

"What?!" Adrien stared at her in shock whilst Marinette burst out laughing, tears leaking from her eyes as she clung to the counter for support. "No please Mrs Dupain-Cheng, I wouldn't want to bother you and we only came to get coffees…"

"It will be no bother at all!" Sabine did not hesitate to reply as she forcibly led him to a table and got him to sit down, still spluttering protests as Marinette followed. "I really do insist, I couldn't forgive myself if I let you out of here to go your job with nothing on your bones. Please call me Sabine dear." She smiled a quiet warning at him not to move and he quickly complied before she asked him "Have you had breakfast this morning?"

"I had a coffee…" Adrien mumbled guiltily; it was the only thing he had managed to grab on his way out and now he was sorely regretting it. Sabine gave a prim nod like all her worst suspicions had been confirmed before she smiled again and sat Marinette down opposite him.

"There. Now neither of you move until I get back, OK? And don't worry about the coffees for your friends," She grinned, the victory in her face an exact replica of Marinette's, as she swiped the list of orders and glanced over it. "I'll take care of these." Before Adrien could even respond, she was already halfway across the bakery, leaving him stunned and Marinette still laughing.

"You should see the look on your face right now!" She smirked as he turned back to face her. "She's quite a force to be reckoned with, isn't she? Some of our customers call her Hurricane Sabine."

"Yeah, I can see why." Adrien said, still sounding almost dazed as he glanced over at the counter where the fiercely organised woman was putting their orders in the till. "Does she always demand people eat like this?"

"If she thinks you're malnourished, yes." Marinette answered. "I think she just wants to feed the world, it's why she and my dad love this job so much. And I must say," She went as she peeked under the table at his figure. "You do look pretty skinny for such a fit guy. Do you actually eat much?"

"I do, believe me, if Nino was here he would attest to that." Adrien quickly replied. "He's always complaining I make our office reek of food and then eat his food. I eat a lot, it's just this job, what with all the running around and stress, it burns off a lot of calories. Plus, when I was a teenager when I was modelling for my father I was put on a very strictly controlled diet."

"Really?" Marinette's face creased up in concern. "Forgive me for sounding like my mama but that doesn't sound healthy at all. We really do need to feed you up."

"Oh don't you start." He groaned as he smacked his head into his hands and she gave a giggle. At that moment, a large plate was suddenly thrust onto the table in front of them, making them both jump in surprise. A loud chuckle came from above them and they looked up to see Tom was standing over them, his huge hands on the back of their chairs as he enjoyed the looks on their faces.

"Sorry, couldn't resist," He explained with a grin as Adrien sighed in relief. "These are some samples of new pastries we were thinking of bringing out-we want you two to be the first to try them. And they are on the house so don't even try." He eyed Adrien as he reached into his pocket and Adrien slowly backed his hand away. "Don't leave without giving us a verdict!"

"Of course Papa!" Marinette replied sunnily as she waved him off and he went to tend to some other customers. Adrien stared down at the plate in front of him and he couldn't believe his eyes. There were so many different cakes and pastries stuffed on there that he couldn't see the white of the plate underneath and each one looked so tempting and perfect he wasn't sure where to begin or even if he should. Marinette saw him staring and gently pushed the plate towards him.

"You take first pick." She told him. "Go on, it won't bite."

"I know that." He huffed at her good-naturedly before he finally selected the pastry closest to him, a cherry-studded cake filled with pink cream and sprinkled with shavings of chocolate. Holding it up to his lips, he realised how hungry he was and he took down half the delicate cake in one bite, sending cream oozing from the corners of his lips. He almost moaned as he chewed and it wasn't until he had finished the cake and was reaching for another did he notice Marinette laughing at him again.

"Sorry, I'm sorry," She gasped out as she tried to speak. "But you do have cream all over your face… you look like a five-year-old."

"I do not!"

"Do to!"

"Do not!"

"Do to!"

"Now who's being a child?"

"Still you!"

Adrien groaned and shook his head as she continued to giggle at him. "Hold on, I'll get it." She said, just before she leaned over the table and licked her thumb. She then dragged it across his lips, moving swiftly to get every last morsel of cream, before she drew back and licked it off, humming lightly as she tasted the cherry in the cream. Adrien looked away and down at the pastries, not wanting it to look like he was staring at her. A gesture like that seemed bizarrely intimate and the last thing he wanted to do was make everything weird, not when they had gotten so comfortable with each other. He took another pastry, a flaky choux bun covered in almonds, and the next few minutes were spent with the pair of them happily tucking into the stash of food. It wasn't until the plate was half-empty did he speak again.

"These are all so delicious." He said in wonder as he finished off another cake with green tea flavouring and piped swirls of vivid green icing. "I don't know how your parents do it, everything is so good!"

"They are the best in the business," Marinette smiled proudly, looking over to where Tom and Sabine were setting out more baked goods to replace the ones bought in the morning rush. "I can't remember a time when they didn't bake. Some of my earliest memories are of being in the kitchen and watching them make bread and all that… it was really great."

"It sure sounds it." Adrien replied, feeling a tiny bit of jealousy for how great a childhood it sounded. He would have done anything for a childhood like that, surrounded by warmth and care. "So how did that lead to you being a cop? You were going to tell me and then we kinda got side-tracked…"

"Oh yeah! We did." She gave a laugh but it sounded forced and she stared down at the plate suddenly like it was a TV screen showing something interesting. He could see her eyes kept flicking over to where her parents stood and he looked over at where they were starting up the coffee machine.

"Are you OK?"

"Yeah I'm fine." She told him, finally looking up. "It's just… I don't want them to hear us talking about this stuff. It brings up a lot of bad memories and I don't want to put them through that, not when they are still just getting over it."

Bad memories? Adrien saw the way Marinette was biting her lip and felt concerned. Maybe her upbringing hadn't been as idyllic as he had imagined. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"No it's OK," She said with a hint of her regular smile back. "I was kinda interrogating you earlier about your past and I don't know why but I do want to tell you. Maybe it will help somehow if I do talk about it, I've never actually told anyone the full story."

"Really?" Adrien said surprised. "I'm honoured."

Marinette gave a small smile at that before she took one of the last few pastries, a white chocolate and raspberry cookie, and started to talk. "OK well, I told you my earliest memories were of being in the kitchen with my family baking, right?" She looked over at him for confirmation and he gave a nod. "Well that was when my parents first opened up the bakery. I must have been around five or six when it did properly open and though it was a little rocky at the start, what with there being so many bakeries in Paris, but after a while things were going really well. We were all overjoyed; it had been their joint dream to open a bakery here for so long and I was just happy to see them happy. I loved it all, the baking, working on the counter, I used to help out whenever I could but my dream was to be a fashion designer at that point. I remember I used to sew outfits for all my stuffed toys, they must have had more clothes than me…" She gave a giggle but it quickly disappeared as she continued with her story.

"Then, one night when I was about twelve, we were just closing up when there was a loud knocking at the door. It was so loud, I thought they would break the door down and Papa practically ran to open it before they did. Mama tried to get me upstairs to bed but I hid at the top of the stairs and I saw everything. There were two men standing in the doorway, both in long coats with their faces hidden. They came in and they kept their hands in their pockets; I couldn't see exactly what was there but it was making a really big bulge. They started talking to my parents in really low voices so I couldn't hear what they said but I could see what their reactions were. They both looked horrified and Papa started yelling at them to get out of his bakery and that they would never agree to this kind of thing. He said it was criminal and that seemed to get them angry.

One of them suddenly shot his hand out and struck Mama, he hit her so hard she was sent sprawling to the ground. He then put his foot on her head so she couldn't get back up; I remember nearly screaming when I heard her cry out but I felt frozen to the spot, powerless to do anything but watch. Papa ran at him, trying to save her but he was stopped by the other man. He was skinny but somehow he was stronger and he pushed him back. He then yelled at him that if he didn't agree to their terms when they visited the following night, worse things would happen to Mama and to me. I can still remember him looking up at the stairs and staring into my eyes, looking at me like he was about to snap me in half. I'd never been more terrified and I just ran and hid in my bed. Mama came up a little while later and tried to calm me down but there wasn't much they could say; they were both just as powerless as me.

They came the next night like they promised and my parents had to agree to those terms. I was hiding upstairs at that point so I never saw them but I now know what they agreed. My parents were essentially being forced to take part in a protection racket; they paid these people a certain amount of money each month and in return, they were left alone and unharmed. They were threatened with horrible things if they ever tried to leave, most of them involving me." She sounded sick at the thought, her fingers crushing the cake she held into a crumbly sticky mess. "I never saw them come to collect the money, I was always ushered upstairs but I never wanted to. All I knew was that these people were blackmailing my parents and it made me feel awful. I've already told you I hate feeling powerless and I was determined to do something about it so I gave up being a fashion designer and I dreamed of being a cop instead."

"Wow." That was all Adrien could say for a moment as he let the story sink in. "You gave up that to try and stop that from happening? That's such a noble thing to do."

"You really think so?" Marinette blushed a little as she wiped away the crushed remains of her cake.

"Yeah, it really is. You and your parents have my respect for dealing with all that." He looked over at where the two of them were casually making the coffees before he asked "Wait, is this still going on? What happened to those people?"

"No they've left my parents alone now," Marinette told her, her face now with looking grim. "That happened a few years back. I had just started my last year of studying and was on the way to joining the force. My parents were out one night and I stayed at home to watch the bakery. I didn't plan on doing much, just ordering a pizza and watching some old movies, just relaxing after a long week of school. Then at around midnight, there was a knock on the door. I was halfway through some movie and I remember pausing it, thinking it was just my parents who had forgotten their key and needed to be let in. I ran down the stairs to get to the door and I pulled it open ready to tease them for forgetting, only to see those two men standing there."

Her eyes went dark as she went through the memory, her fingers tensed around nothing and her lips falling under attack again. "I remember just standing there feeling like the world was going to cave in as I saw them, it was like my worst nightmare had come true. They just stood there smiling at me, seemingly enjoying the fear they had installed in me and one of them even laughed. They said they had come early for their money; their boss wanted us to up our payment and he wanted the first new instalment now. I was floored by how callous they were and it made me so angry. How dare they come here and demand our hard-earned money? My parents had worked so hard to be respected in the city and this is what they get for it? That was all I could think of and I just got so furious that all my fear just left me. They both started demanding I go and get the money for them and though I didn't know where my parents kept it, I told them I'd be right back with it. I can still remember the sick grins they gave at that-they really thought they had me running scared. What I actually did was run to my room, grab the nearest thing and bring it back down behind my back. When they started to get angry at me and yelled for their money, I just brought it out and socked them with it."

"No way!" Adrien felt his jaw drop as a twisted smile appeared on her face. "You really did that?"

"You bet I did." She grinned. "I hit those fuckers harder than I'd ever hit anything and they both went out like a light. I dragged their bodies into the nearest alleyway I could find and I pinned a note onto one of their coats, telling them that if they didn't want to be humiliated by a girl again, they should leave the bakery alone. And after that, they didn't seem to want to bother us."

"I'm not surprised." Adrien couldn't help grinning along with her. He knew she was a badass but he had never realised she was by that much. "So you really never saw them again?"

"Nope. But they never got caught either." She said and at that her face fell. "That really became my motivation. I didn't want anyone to go through what we all did for so long. Seeing people hurt and then making it right… that's what makes this job worth it all." She sighed quietly as she stared back down at the plate. "I hope it makes us worth it too."

The last sentence was spoken so softly, at first Adrien wasn't sure he had even heard it properly. He looked over at her confused. What had she meant by that? Did she really think she wasn't worth anything? He went to ask her but at that moment two things sent the strange words shooting clean from his mind; one was Sabine returning to the table and happily dumping the largest tray of coffees he had ever seen on the surface in front of him and the other was his phone urgently ringing in his pocket, the sound buzzing loudly against his thigh. Both surprises combined nearly sent him tumbling to the floor and this snapped Marinette out of her melancholy as she burst out laughing again, her hand hammering the table as she bent over howling.

"Oh god Adrien, how are you not a comedian or something? Your facial expressions are priceless!"

"Shut up, it's not that funny?" Adrien grumbled at her as he dug in his pocket for his phone. "It's probably Nino demanding to know where his coffee is. You pay for them and I'll meet you outside."

"No problem." She managed to splutter out between breaths and he quickly ran outside to take the call, giving a wave to Marinette's parents as he dashed through the door. Marinette handed the money to her mother who was giving her a look she knew all too well and was trying desperately to ignore.

"He seems nice." Sabine said sweetly, giving the appearance that she wasn't implying anything else that didn't fool her daughter for a minute.

"Yes he is nice, a very nice friend Mama." She told her firmly as she picked up the heavy tray with ease and dipped down to peck her on the cheek. "Thanks for the coffees, I'll drop by properly as soon as I can."

"That would be lovely dear. Make sure to bring that lovely boy with you," Sabine replied with a wink. "He does need feeding up and he has such good manners…"

"Mama!" Marinette protested with exasperation in her voice. If she hadn't been carrying the coffees for almost half the force, she would have slapped it to her forehead at her antics. "I'm going now, see you soon!"

"See you sweetheart!" Sabine and Tom called out with a wave as Marinette gently prised the door open with her knee, careful not to spill any of the hot brown liquid that was threatening to slosh over the sides of multiple cups. As she walked back onto the bustling street and wove her way towards Adrien, she saw him finish up his phone call before spotting her and running to help her with the tray.

"Are you seriously carrying all that by yourself? I didn't realise there would be this much!"

"I can handle it!" She told him, stubbornly holding the tray away from him as she determinedly strolled off in the direction of their crime scene, leaving him to catch up with her. "So what was the call about?"

"Well as I guessed, it was from Nino," Adrien answered her as they fell back into stride with each other. "He started off about the coffees, claiming they are all dying of thirst back there…" He shook his head as Marinette laughed, imagining all their comrades bothering Nino about the whereabouts of their drinks. "So I told him we were on our way back and we'd be there in five minutes. The next thing was a little more serious though." He frowned. "Turns out the chief is getting a little frustrated at how our investigation has come to a bit of a stop- he wants to put us two on another stake out in the hopes of catching another akuma and getting more information out of them. He wants Nino on it but he's got plans for tonight that he really doesn't want to cancel. He didn't tell me what they were but they sounded pretty important." He gave a long sigh. "He asked me to help him out but the only way I can see him getting out of this is if somebody else volunteers in his place and I don't think that's likely to happen."

"Don't be ridiculous, I'll do it!" Marinette said cheerily as Adrien turned to her in shock. "I'm not doing anything later and I'm always up for catching akumas, plus I'm not going to turn away two friends in need."

"Alright." Adrien smiled at her as he went to get his phone back out. "I'll tell him now, he'll be so grateful… hey wait, what do you mean two friends?"

"Oh didn't you know?" Marinette gave him a teasing smile before she quickened her pace and steamed ahead. "Don't worry about it. I'll tell you later. Just don't tell Nino I mentioned it. I prefer to keep my life intact thank very much."

OOO

"He and Alya are on a what?!" Adrien yelped, his surprise thankfully contained by the metal body of their unmarked police car as the two of them sat in the gloom. It was now late at night and both he and Marinette had been stationed at the opening of the deserted street for more than three hours without even a hint of akuma activity appearing on their radar. Adrien had taken no time picking this spot; he knew both from his homework on the case and from his experiences as Chat Noir that the gang often passed through here to get to their meeting spot and the tall houses either side of the thin road would make the perfect cover for their car. The akumas would never even see them coming but so far there hadn't been a trace of them and Adrien was beginning to doubt they were ever going to show up. The only upside to being stuck in this tight space watching the blackness for a trace of movement that probably wasn't going to appear was Marinette being in the driver's seat as she was doing an excellent job of keeping him entertained with gossip about their friends.

"A date." She told him smugly, her tongue tangling around the straw of the smoothie she had stopped to buy just before they got there. "No word of a lie, Alya told me. They've been chatting since that day we all met at the café and he asked her a little while ago. I think it's sweet."

"I guess it is." Adrien grumbled as he took a sip of his hot chocolate that had gone cold long ago. Marinette had insisted on buying it for him when she got her smoothie and, though he had at first been reluctant to accept it, he was now thankful for the hit of sugar that came with it. "But so much for not hiding things from each other. He gets so pissy at me when I do that."

"Oh c'mon, you know it's not like that," Marinette told him, sounding almost like she was lightly scolding him. "It's their first date, he probably didn't want to mention it in case he screwed it up. It's a man thing."

"A man thing?" Adrien questioned with a sideways look. "Then what's a woman thing in this situation?"

"Calling your best friend seconds after you said yes to a date and spilling out all your anxieties about it over the phone in an hour-long conversation that covers every aspect of the date from what you're going to wear to what happens if you accidentally injure them." Marinette laughed when she caught sight of Adrien's expression as she shrugged her shoulders. "Don't ask me how but she Alya somehow convinced herself that was going to happen. She was so nervous, poor thing, I could practically hear her phone rattling in its case, she was shaking so much. She just really wants this to go well."

"Well from what I remember of Nino's behaviour, he seems to really like her as well," Adrien said, chortling at the memory of a drunk Nino close to crying over not getting her number. "Those two will be fine."

"Yeah, I know they will," Marinette smiled. "They are pretty sweet together."

"Yeah." Adrien agreed, not knowing what else to add as the car filled with silence. He softly drummed his fingers on the dashboard as she took a long slurp of her smoothie and a question suddenly popped into his head.

"Hey Marinette… have you ever done the woman thing?"

"Hmm? Err…" Marinette paused with a finger on her chin, thinking hard. "I must have done at some point… I can really become a nervous wreck at times so it wouldn't surprise me. But it would have been a long time ago-I haven't been on a date for ages." She looked over at him curiously before smirking. "Why, is this your way of asking me out?"

"What? No!" Adrien panicked as his instant kneejerk reaction was to spring back and throw his arms up in the air in denial, which nearly resulted in him throwing cold hot chocolate over both of them. "I wasn't asking you out, that's crazy! I mean, not that you aren't attractive or anything but you're my friend and that would be weird! Wait, that didn't come out right…" His cheeks burned red in embarrassment as Marinette failed to suppress her laughter at his panicking speech, ending up with her face pressed to the dashboard to try and keep quiet.

"I'm just messing with you, no need to look so scared!" She giggled as both their breathing rates went back to normal. "Why'd you ask though?"

"I don't really know much about dating and stuff like that," Adrien said, his face still tinged pink as he went to put his cup down to spare them further disaster. "When I was a teenager, I didn't go to school so I didn't know many people my own age-the only ones I ever met were other models and they were clearly off limits. Then when I left all that, I spent all my time working to get this job and it just sorta took over everything I guess…"

"Hold up." Marinette stopped him, her own hand aloft like she was ready to catch any words that might escape his mouth without her permission, "Are you saying you've never been on a proper date before?"

"Well, I wouldn't say that, Nino's tried to set me up with a few people once or twice…" Adrien's voice trailed off at the look she was giving him and when he opened his mouth to speak again, he was cut off by a loud gasp of outrage.

"Are you kidding me?!" She almost shouted, looking shocked as Adrien hastily attempted to shush her with no success. "How could you have never been on a date before, especially when you look like that?!" She waved her hands over his blushing form to make her point, looking like a frantic magician about to make him disappear, before she gave a deep sigh and flopped back in her seat with her hand rubbing at her eyes. "Man, Nino told me your ass was stupidly single but I never expected it was this bad…"

"Wait, Nino said what?" Adrien asked, his eyes narrowed at the name of his friend. "What else did he say?"

"He just said-ssssh!"

"What? That can't be it, oh I am so killing him…"

"SSSHH! There's something moving over there!"

Her hand shot out and covered his mouth as they both dipped their heads and stared out into the night. "Do you see it?" Marinette hissed from the corner of her mouth and Adrien was about to retort through her fingers that he couldn't see a thing when a flicker of movement caught his eye and he went stock-still. On the flat roof of one of the distant houses in the long street, he could see a small group of pinprick figures that were weaving in and out of each other as they ran across the rooftops like they were flying. He could see they were gaining speed as they ran and they were getting closer with every second. He could feel his heart thud painfully in his chest as they did so as questions swarmed in his brain. What were they doing out now? He knew they had other business but they looked to be in a hurry. What was this all about? Was this another group maybe?

The questions only increased in number when they got closer and he recognised the distinctive silhouettes of his fellow akumas; Stoneheart, Princess Fragrance, Evillustrator, Lady Wifi… but no Ladybug. His heart almost stopped when he couldn't see her. What had happened? Why wasn't she with them? She was their leader, surely they couldn't do anything without her say-so? He was so busy focusing on these questions that he didn't see Marinette fighting to get her seatbelt off and charging from the car until he heard her car door slam with a jolt that rocked the entire metal frame.

"Wait!" He called after her but she had already sprinted away in hot pursuit, her torch turned on and the beam of white light that lit up the walls around them, making his eyes sting with the abrupt burst of light. Is she crazy? He thought, watching in horror when the akumas, hearing how she loudly slammed the door, stopped and changed direction. He struggling with his own seatbelt, yanking it away from him as he ran after the akumas and Marinette, who had doggedly followed them and was running like there were wings on the heels of her boots.

"Stop in the name of the law!" He heard her yell at their retreating backs and he ran faster to try and catch up to her. Why was she yelling at them and alerting them to us? Still he refused to give up, running with all the power he had in him and she was doing the same as he heard her give a determined grunt as she pushed herself to run faster, to the point where she was gaining ground on the akumas who were running on the edges of the rooftops.

"Hold on, I've got them!" Marinette suddenly shouted over her shoulder at him as she veered off around a sharp corner, taking the edge off her speed and nearly causing Adrien to shoot straight past her. "If I can get up higher I can catch the-AAAARRGHH!"

"Marinette!" Adrien came to a stop and ran after her, her scream still bouncing off the walls as he threw himself into the darkness. He couldn't see her torchlight anywhere so he hurriedly flicked his own on, swearing as his trembling hands fumbled with the switch and the beam instantly lit up the alleyway and exposed what had happened.

Marinette was sprawled out face down on the ground, her limbs frozen at awkward angles on the hard tarmac and light groans were coming from her form as she tried to move. For a moment, Adrien was terrified that the akumas had attacked her until he directed the beam down at her feet and saw they were sticking up over a large dustbin, which was now spilling its contents all over the pavement in a soggy stinking mess and also had a new large dent in the side where it had connected with her foot. There was a part of him that almost wanted to laugh until he heard her voice groaning his name and he ran to her side, carefully putting his arms under her fallen body and lifting her up.

"Are you alright? Talk to me Mari!"

"I'm fine… stupid bin, getting in my way…" She tried to push herself upright but gave a loud wince when she put some weight on her left foot and clung back to him. He saw there was a spot of blood on her trousers and he instantly got to his fee, heaving her up with him so he was cradling her in his arms.

"It looks like you caught something sharp as you went down… hold on, I'm going to drive you to a hospital to get that checked out. The last thing we need is you out of action, especially after that."

"Sure." Marinette knew she was in no position to argue as he gently set her back in the car, this time in the passenger seat, and buckled her in, despite her protests that her arms still worked. "That was weird huh? But Adrien… please don't let this get around the station. I don't want everyone to hear about this," she pointed down at her bleeding leg with a grimace. "They'd all be laughing at me if they found out the great Marinette Dupain-Cheng lost the akumas because of a bloody bin. Who even put that there?"

She looked so cross, Adrien had to chuckle. "Alright, I promise I won't tell anyone." Still, he thought as he turned the key and the car rumbled into life, this whole thing's a little off. Why were there only four akumas? He knew why Chat Noir wasn't there but Ladybug? And why had Marinette bolted so suddenly? All these questions pestered him the whole way to the hospital but he eventually had to push them away-he knew he wouldn't get the answers any time soon.


	11. Chapter 11

_OK, firstly I'm really sorry that this is kinda late, I know I said way back in this story that I would try to update every four or five days but now I'm at uni and all that has gone out of the window. I wasn't expecting this to be so long and I was hoping to finish it before I got here but stuff happens sometimes and at least you get more story, right? Anyway, now I don't know when I'm going to update so hang in there for me guys._

 _Secondly, I know you all have questions and want to see Hawkmoth and I promise you all that will come, I'm just saving them for a little bit longer. I honestly cannot see this having too many more chapters so you may get them sooner than you think. Please enjoy and review!_

In the following days after the failed stakeout, the questions in Adrien's mind over what exactly the akumas had been doing without him and their leader only seemed to pile up, despite the massive workload that the three of them had. As he had promised to Marinette, he had kept the details of the story very sparse though many of his questions revolved around her strange behaviour that night. Her running off like that, chasing the group of them after making a loud noise was a rookie mistake but he tried to look past it, thinking that they all made mistakes. Instead, he tried to put the whole thing out of his mind as he listened to Nino talk enraptured about his date (just like they had both thought, the date had gone well even though Alya had left earlier than planned after a phone call from a friend) and focused on the mountain of paperwork the whole investigation was creating for them. However, no matter how hard he tried, his brain wouldn't let up on him, his determination for once proving to be a downfall as he just couldn't let the thing go.

It didn't help when one night about a week after the stakeout, he was back as Chat Noir and surrounded by the akumas on another raid. Their presence only intensified his yearning for answers and he wanted to ask them about it but he knew he wasn't supposed to know about it and so he kept quiet as he hugged the side of the building they were slowly abseiling down in the dead of night. The wind was dancing in a frenzy around him, threatening to pull his claws away from the safety of the building and he prayed that the thin almost invisible wires would hold him there. He moved down cautiously, stretching out his limbs like a cat as he delicately made his way down. Around him, the other akumas were being just as careful but they had an intent look on their faces as they focused on the small glass ledge that was their target and their way into the building. They had done this too many times to count- there was no place for them to be intimidated now. Only he felt a new nervousness, knowing that this mission was going to turn out very differently than they had planned.

Trying to look away from the ground, Adrien instead focused back upwards where Ladybug was dangling above him, her body at a right angle to the building with her feet firmly planted there. She wasn't even holding onto the wires with her hands and she had an almost bored look on her face, like she just wanted to get the whole thing over and done with. Unlike last time, she had given them all a more focused mission. The building they were currently scaling down was a telecommunications tower run by one of Hawkmoth's associates, a businessman so far in his pocket it would have been a wonder if he had ever emerged. Adrien had made a note of the man's name as she had spoken, planning to later question the man but when he had heard what their objective was, he has nearly cried out in protest. This businessman had apparently decided to take some matters into his own hands and not told the man who basically owned his soul. That had really riled the man whom Chat Noir had still yet to meet and now he had given his trusted second-in-command the task of seeing to his punishment. Adrien didn't dare think of what that could mean for the man- her only instructions had been to 'keep him alive' and 'use your imagination.' Words to really make you shudder, he thought as another gust of wind pulled at his hair before disgustedly throwing it in his eyes. He knew better than most people that sometimes death wasn't the worst option.

"Hey, Cat Boy!" A loud obnoxious voice cut into his musings and he turned his head sharply with a growl to stare over at Evillustrator, who was already nearly at the glass ledge with the other three not far behind him. "Quit taking your time and get that tail of yours down here! Unless you're afraid of heights…" He grinned up at him smugly as he let out another growl. God, he hated that stupid purple face.

"Cats are good with heights," He yelled down as he continued making his way down using bigger strides. "It's paint cans that don't do too well with it. They tend to dent when they hit the ground whilst we land on our feet." He grinned back down as the redhead fumed up at him, gesturing with his middle finger as Lady Wifi smirked proudly.

"Boys please." Ladybug's voice came whizzing past him as she suddenly dropped down from the sky, twirling on the wires like a spider weaving a web. She landed softly on the ledge, bending her head before she reared herself up with her eyes narrowed and a stern expression on her face. "We have work to do or have you forgotten that?"

Her words cracked in the air like a whip over their hides and Evillustrator instantly bowed his head guiltily, mumbling his apologies as he took a step back and let her stride past. Chat Noir watched after her silently, not wanting to say anything as he watched her wrench the window open and walk in. Something was off with her that night; the air around her seemed charged with electricity and all the akumas were treading carefully around her but he had no clue why. Had something really upset her? He was very tempted to try and worm it out of her but as he followed the others in he decided against it- he quite liked having his head where it was.

"Right," Ladybug threw out her arm to stop them as they ran down a darkened passageway. Both the walls and ceiling had been painted red and the carpet was an even darker shade, giving the little light there was an eerie blood-like glow and making Chat Noir feel like he was being held in a giant's mouth. The warm air didn't help the illusion, it's thick suffocation feeling like breath on the skin of his bare arms. "Same teams as last time. You two will go left and make sure there's nobody there, you two to the right to get the security down and Chat, you and I will be finding this bastard." Evillustrator looked annoyed at that but when they all heard her click her tongue and speak the next line through gritted teeth, they didn't dare to say a thing. "I want this to be one of the quickest jobs we've ever done. Nice and simple, got it?"

Her tone held an angry venom and they all nodded briskly before jumping to follow her orders. They all sprinted off in different directions and Chat ran after Ladybug without saying a word, focusing on how her hair bobbed as she ran and racking his brain for why she was acting so strangely. There had been none of her flirting, none of her seductive walks and bold glances, only steely eyes and purposeful marching. He wondered… could he even dare think that she was worried or scared of something? He never could imagine her that way but after that night under the stars, he had seen her mask slip a little and show she was human after all.

He was shaken from his thoughts by her hand flying backwards and grabbing the leather of his vest, nearly ripping it from his body as she hurled him round a corner and held them both there with the strength that still took him by surprise every time. He barely had a second to think and ask her what the heck was going on before her other hand trapped his lips with a sharp pinch, her face pressed up close to his in the tiny space they were stuck in and he suddenly felt his heart accelerate as its pumping went into sixth gear. Her closeness was still so intoxicating, a drug like no other, but his mind was kept from straying by he panicked and angry look in her cobalt eyes.

"Fuck!" She whispered, anger infused in the curse as she peered around the corner and glared at something Chat couldn't see. "Why are they here?"

"Why are who here?" He asked though he already knew the answer.

"His fucking bodyguards! The corridor's crawling with them!" She almost spat into his ear, growling angrily in a way that made her sound feral. "Why are they all here? I was expecting two at the most, not two dozen! They must be here for something but what the fuck is it?!"

"No idea." Chat Noir murmured, feeling the lie pass through his teeth like he was straining it. He knew exactly why they were there- to put a spanner in the works and bring the next stage of their police operation into fruition. The reason why he knew this job wasn't going to go to plan was because he had masterminded another plan- after discussing this with the chief, they had warned Hawkmoth's target of the impending attack and offered him a deal; if they got him a lesser sentence for his criminal activities, he would fill the building with bodyguards that had one objective on their minds- catching another akuma.

The trap had been set so secretly that again Adrien had been forced not to reveal it to his colleagues but he had known it was for their benefit. He also knew that this mission posed a lot of risk to himself; the bodyguards had no clue that the man they had taken orders from was in the enemy group and so if he got caught by them, the entire thing would have been a failure. However, he knew he couldn't have avoided it if he had tried (and that was the last thing he wanted to do anyway) so he could only stay quiet as Ladybug crossly huffed right in front of him, her body against his in a way that would have set his skin on fire had he not been closely watching her.

"Damn him!" Ladybug swore as she again peered carefully around the corner. "We must be right in front of his office if there are so many of them… we're so close, it's stupid!" Anger crackled in her voice as she slammed her knuckles against the wall and he could see an uncontrollable gleam in her eyes as she fixed on the offending guards.

"I know," He said, taking her curled fist and pressing his lips to the warm knuckles, forcing her to look at him. Her cheeks suddenly bloomed pink as she let him wrap her fingers in his own and the contrast with her mask was strikingly pretty. That was…new, he thought before he made himself speak. "Calm down, we just need to think of a plan…"

"I already have a plan." She told him, wrenching her fingers away as her blushing steadily increased with each heated moment. "You take the guys on the left and I'll take out the ones on the right. Any ones left over we can share." With those ominous words, she tugged her yoyo from her waist and jerked it towards the ground once before flicking it back into her hand and making to stroll into the fray.

"Are you crazy!" Chat said, grabbing her arm and pulling her back to face him again, so close he could see how each of her golden freckles glowed against her peony-pink skin. "There's way too many of them for us to take on by ourselves! If you could just…"

His words were stilled by the heated glare she forced on him and, seeing he was distracted, she yanked her arm from his clutches and stormed away. Chat didn't even need to turn around to know what was happening; he could hear it all in the sudden explosion of sound that came from the passage behind him. It had started with a burst of angry shouting as the guards had all recognised the woman stalking towards them and gone to attack before it gave way to a crescendo of such frequent grunting and slamming sounds that it almost sounded like she was making music. When he finally turned his head to watch the spectacle unfold, he had to admit there was something almost lyrical about the way she was moving, how her body twisted and her yoyo span with every second as if she were performing a ribbon dance instead of taking down men twice her size.

For a moment, he was convinced she was going to win; every man that flew at her was instantly felled like a huge oak tree, either ending up on the floor or crashed against a wall. However, he could soon see what was really going on and saw how Ladybug was faltering. Her teeth were gritted as rage pushed her forwards, her movements losing their pose and becoming frenzied as more and more guards came piling in like they were trying to huddle. Even with her immense skill, there was no way she could take on so many and when she was suddenly pushed back, he couldn't sit there anymore.

"Ladybug!" He yelled as he pulled out his baton and charged to join her. "Hold on!" With the guards momentarily distracted by his shout, Ladybug worked to win back the ground she had lost and spun into the air with all her old vigour again, delivering a powerful kick that sent three of them to the ground cold as Chat pounded his baton into the side of one guards head. He sprang up the wall like a cat would, using his claws again to dig into the red velvety wallpaper, before he came crashing downwards with his weapon aloft and glinting in the light. Like a stack of bowling pins, a large group of them went down and ladybug had to smile as he stood up and shot her a cocky smile.

"What do you think of that, my Lady?"

"That was good," She admitted with a small nod and a punch to the face of her next attacker. "But you could have got here sooner. I thought you were going to stand there all night."

"And let you have all the fun? Never." He grinned at her, the pair briefly exchanging smiles before there was another loud shout and their opposition launched into a counter-attack. The wave of heavy knuckles and dark suits threatened to overwhelm them as they fought back like a pair of wildcats. Chat Noir could almost feel himself getting more savage as the pudgy hands kept attempting to grab him and he even hissed when one gripped his collar but was soon sent reeling by his baton catapulting him into the ceiling and breaking a light. In the semi-darkness, he looked over at Ladybug, seeing she was in the thick of the fighting but still going strong. What is it that is giving her this strength? He thought but seeing her was already rejuvenating him and they fought on, neither realising that the other was constantly glancing at them between fights.

"Can you see any sign of him or the others?" Ladybug yelled over the heads of the guards that she kept knocking down like chess pieces. The two of them had fought at their maximum strength and ability for a good few minutes now and they both knew that they would tire soon but neither would succumb.

"No, I can't see a thing! Somebody needs to stop feeding these guys!" Chat responded as he threw off three guards who had tried to ram him into a wall. He then looked over at her, a quip about her already being tired on his tongue but he stopped and his heart froze when he saw what was about to happen. For a few awful seconds, time trickled past him slowly and everything around him was in a clarity he never wanted to see again. Ladybug was looking over at him again, a frozen laugh on her lips as she chuckled at his joke. Behind her, rearing up like the head of a monster from a dark lagoon, a guard drew out a small silver knife from his pocket, one that sparked coldly in the light and hovered over her head like a guiding star. He could see what was going to happen and it made his blood run cold. She caught his expression and went to turn around but it was already too late; the knife was held up high above the man's head, ready to plunge.

He didn't think he had ever moved faster in his life. All he knew was that one moment he was a bystander, watching the event unfold and the next, all he could feel was pain. She screamed in his ear, a torturous sound he wanted to cover up but when he raised both his arms, the pain racked through him again, even worse than before and he let them fall limp again. Everything seemed to be going slowly yet speeding up at the same time and around him, everything was a dazed chaos. Nothing seemed to register but the overwhelming pain as the world shifted around him without him having any control. He could feel his cheek squashed against the rough carpet, his claws sunken in the fibres like he was holding onto life itself but then he was suddenly up in the air and he had no idea why. Something was digging painfully into his hip bone like it was grating on it and he wanted to say so but the dull ache seemed to have taken control of his tongue and all he could do was make lethargic sounds like he was drugged. Black blobs danced before his eyes as he kept pulling them open, not wanting to fall asleep as he was bounced up and down with his limbs flailing like a ragdoll. He suddenly changed direction and there was a loud slam as whatever was holding him up collapsed and he hit the cold floor hard.

The impact and the icy tiles brought him back to reality and he let out a gasp as his vision focused on what was around him. He was lying on his back on the floor of some sort of storage cupboard that didn't have a big floor space; even with his knees bunched up, he still barely fit in and his feet were being crushed against the door. Shelves lined the walls all around him and from what he could see, they were neatly stacked with cleaning products. The head of a mop was getting tangled in his hair, the thick ropy tresses smelling of damp and faint bleach, and he had accidently overturned a box of dusters and the yellow cloths had fallen all around his head like autumn leaves. There was a weight on top of his body, making it difficult to heave his chest but when he looked down, he froze at the sight of a flushed Ladybug looking up at him. Her hair looked like it was falling out of its pigtails, the ribbons almost at the tips, and her whole face was pink and sweaty but her eyes held no concern for herself as she stared up at him intently. He went to open his mouth but she closed his jaw quickly, nearly biting off his tongue in the process and making him wince.

"Sorry," She whispered. "But we have to be quiet." She jabbed her thumb behind her at the door and Chat forced his dulling eyes to look up at the little glass diamond in the door that let outsiders look in. Shadows were flashing past it, paced like a drumbeat, and his mouth went dry as the realisation. If they made any noise and any of those guards looked in, they would be captured before they could even protest and, after the beating the two of them had just handed out, he knew they wouldn't be treated kindly.

They stayed there silently for the longest few minutes he had ever known, Ladybug's hand still under his jaw as they both watched the flickering of the shadows. He didn't dare allow himself to move, scared of making the pain he was feeling in his shoulder spike and letting out a cry that would expose them both. He could feel every inch of Ladybug's muscular body on his as she also went still, her eyes wandering over his face as if she couldn't pull them away. After a while, the drumming footsteps petered out and light began to trickle in steadily, uninterrupted by the guards that ran past. Finally deeming it safe, Ladybug sighed and sat up, trying to be as gentle as possible but she still accidently rocked Chat Noir's left shoulder and he arched his back as he gave a yelp of agony and his hand went to the wound instinctively, coming back with his fingers dyed red. He stared at the blood for a few seconds, confused to how it got there before it all came back. Ladybug, the knife, the pain, the scream… had he really…

"You idiot!" Ladybug's sharp tone cut into him like the knife had come back and he stared up at her with astonishment. Her face was still pink but now the deep rosy colour was because of her anger and her lips had turned white as she bit down on them. He looked more closely and saw something he never would have expected to see; tears on the corners of her mask. Did I make her that upset? He thought, still a little dazed as she continued to berate him.

"Why would you do that?! I was fine, you hear me?! I would have been fine?! You didn't need to take it for me, I told you that on our first raid, don't you remember? You stupid cat! Why would you try and get yourself killed for me?" The more she spoke, the more emotional she got and tears were pooling like jewels that she wasn't quick enough to stop. Damp patches grew on her mask and he reached up to brush them away, not realising until his palm was on her skin and he could feel how hot she was.

"I'm sorry," He said softly, wanting to bring his other arm up to cup her crying face but finding it hurt too much. "I just… I couldn't bear to watch you die."

It was true. No matter what side either of them were on, even if he was slowly seeking to destroy everything she held dear and bring her to justice, he knew he could never stand to see her in pain. Even though he shouldn't feel this, his heart and body shouldn't react to her in the way they did, he felt it all the same and even though he knew what he would eventually have to do, he didn't want her gone for good.

Ladybug looked deeply into his green eyes for a few moments, almost like she couldn't believe the truth in them before she hurriedly looked away, shaking his gentle hands from her face and wiping at her mask. "We need to take care of that wound," She mumbled, sounding more like her usual business-like self as she slowly stood up and scanned the shelves. "There should be something here that we can use to clean and wrap it up… how badly is it hurting?"

"Quite a bit." Chat Noir tried to smile up at her but both of them knew it was strained; the evidence of how much pain he was in could be seen all over him, in the taunt rigid way he was holding his left arm to the small beads of sweat forming on his brow that was now milky white. The ripped leather of his vest top was soaking up most of the blood but a few crimson dribbles were sneaking down his arm and torso like snakes. Ladybug gave him a sad glance before she quickly went back to searching the shelves. After another long moment, where Chat tried his hardest not to let a whimper out through his gritted teeth but failed, she finally found what she was looking for and ducked back down. She brandished the first-aid kit determinedly as she gently lowered herself back down again, careful not to rock him and cause more discomfort.

"Just try to relax OK?" She told him, keeping her voice soft as she opened the kit and took out the fluffy balls of cotton and the disinfectant. "This is going to sting but we have to get this clean."

"Yeah, god knows where that knife has been." Chat joked, trying to ease a smile from her, and he was rewarded with a faint chuckle before the first soaked cotton bud dabbed at his skin. The new intense sting shot through him like a bullet and he gave a muffled cry as he covered his mouth with his one good hand, the taste of the black leather on his tongue.

"I'm sorry." Ladybug said as she tried to ignore his pain and carried on cleaning the wound. "I wish I could take all this away."

"You are just being here my Lady." He managed a weak smile as his torture was momentarily lifted by her going to soak another pad and he watched with a tinge of pleasure as she went pink again. This continued for a few minutes in an agonising pattern, her applying the disinfectant to his tender skin and him trying to reassure her with faint smiles and jokes. Thankfully, the wound wasn't as deep as they had both thought and the floor was soon littered with bloodied cotton. When Ladybug was satisfied that the wound was clean, she reached back for the first aid kit and pulled out a tangle of bandages.

"You're going to have to remove your top." She told him, keeping up the façade of her composure even though she could feel it wilting with every passing minute. He obliged without a word, only giving a grunt as he wrenched the thing off, and she very nearly cracked there and then at the sight of his uncovered torso that rose and dipped with muscle and beautifully light skin. She wondered how angels weren't breaking into song around them and she had to bite the inside of her cheek to get her limbs moving again.

She gently pulled him into sitting up and she began to wind the thin strips of thick white fabric around the wound. He only gave a couple of winces when she pulled them tightly and she was relieved to see some colour return to his face as the pain slowly began to fade. She quickly finished and leant back to examine it, determinedly keeping her eyes only on the bandages and not on his perfect skin. He saw this and cracked a smile.

"You can admire the view if you want my Lady, I won't mind at all."

"In your dreams kitty." She retorted, a small smile on her own face as she tossed the rest of the bandages back in their box. She then frowned as she looked back at him, the small room filling with tension until it felt like they both might drown in it. "I thought I told you not to do things like that. You should be more focused on yourself, didn't I already tell you?"

"I was glad to do it." He said, forcing her eyes to focus on his. "I'm your knight, remember? That's what I do. I got lucky that guy caught me on the shoulder, if he got you, you could have died."

"Then I would have died, knowing it was my fate and my own stupid fault." She bit back with a level cold voice. "You shouldn't care so much Chat Noir. There are lots of people who'd be glad to see me die anyway."

"That's not true!" Chat Noir almost shouted in his shock. "Maybe some want you dead but there are so many people who care about you too! Think of the akumas, you're their leader, what would they do without you? And I don't know anything about your life outside being Ladybug but you must have family and friends who love you! And me… The last thing I want is to see you hurt my Lady. I'd rather give my own life over than yours."

His heartfelt words left her stunned and suddenly in the silence, he was reminded of how close they both were, how she was still straddling him in the confines of the room which now felt even smaller. Their faces weren't even far away and she softly moved, not jolting his injury but still leaning her face closer until he could count her freckles and see the weaving in her cloth mask.

"This is a bad idea…" She whispered, more to herself than him, as she rose up a little, their bodies now parallel with each other. He couldn't hear anything apart from their erratic breathing that was nowhere near in time as she sunk closer to his face.

"I know." He murmured back, his breath on her cheek making her shiver. "But I don't care."

That was all the persuasion she needed. She lowered her head again and caught his lips in a forceful kiss that slammed his head back against the wall. He gave a grunt but he didn't even feel the pain; all he could register was how her lips were moving on his, possessive and leading as he tried to keep up. She tasted sweet like powdered sugar but also of danger and the mix was enough to send his head reeling and banish any thoughts from his brain. He angled his head as he raised his non-aching arm to her hair, pulling out the stubborn ribbon that was still trying to hold it there in something that barely resembled a ponytail, and laced his fingers through it, marvelling at how soft and thick it was as he ran his claws over her scalp, making her moan. Her tongue ran across his bottom lip, tasting him like he was an ice cream cone, and he willingly opened his mouth to her assault. Her tongue darted in, overpowering his in an instant before exploring every inch of it. He moaned as she did so, not even caring that he had lost the fight as he used his grip on her hair to draw her closer. He knew what they were doing was foolish at best and practically life-threatening at worse if someone heard them but for the first time ever, he just didn't care.

After a moment, she left his lips, now pink and enlarged from her attention, and she ran frantic kisses down his jaw to the flesh of his neck, nipping at it as she went. Her hands ran freely over his torso, making his skin burn with every little touch. Her fingers lingered over his muscles as she suddenly sunk her teeth into his collarbone, making him groan even louder.

"Didn't think you'd like it like that." She smirked up at him, a dirty smile on her sinful lips that made her look like she was about to eat him whole. He only responded with his own grin before he kissed her again, giving as good as she did as they fought for dominance. However, it became all too clear that Ladybug was in control as she wore him down, nipping his lips and tormenting his skin until he felt like he would melt into the floor. His insides felt on fire as he moaned softly into her mouth and let her drink up the sounds of his pleasure as she pressed those searing soft lips even harder on his own. He didn't know how long he had been there nor when they were going to get out but once again, he really didn't care. The police investigation was the last thing on his mind.

The door opened with a loud slam as it bounced off the wall and the pair of them both jumped in shock, separating their mouths as they jerked their heads in opposite directions. For a moment, he was scared that they had just been caught and he was about to be whisked away to the station but the only figure standing in the door was Lady Wifi. She was leaning against the frame with one hand hanging on her hip and a wicked pleased smile was slowly spreading over her face at the sight before her. Chat Noir went deep red as he realised what they must look like; Ladybug was still straddling him, his black vest top was discarded by his side and both of them were breathing heavily. He saw her zero in on his neck and he felt a desperate need to cover up all the small, teeth-shaped bruises that he knew were already taking shape there.

"So," She drawled out. "Been busy?"

"Mind your mouth Wifi." Ladybug barked as he quickly stood up, back to her leader self despite her loose hair and pink cheeks. "He got stabbed and I fixed him up. We had to hide in here from the guards."

"Right." Lady Wifi smiled smugly, not believing a word. "Just saying though, Evillustrator's going to really flip out at you." She directed her last comment at Chat, who was still lying stunned on the ground. He blushed and quickly hurried to pull his vest back on, not caring about the pain that caused, whilst Ladybug picked up her hair ribbon and worked on taming her messy hair.

"What happened to you guys?" Ladybug asked sternly, trying to get the focus back on their mission. "Did you get to him?"

"No." Lady Wifi suddenly looked stricken and Chat could see from her face that the news was bad. "We couldn't get anywhere near the bastard, he put so many guards around we could barely see through them. I feel lucky I got out in one piece though... that's not the worst part."

Ladybug's eyes narrowed. "What's the worst part?"

"They got Princess Fragrance."


	12. Chapter 12

The next morning, Adrien found himself striding back to the interrogation rooms with a new purpose in his steps. This was it. This was exactly what he had hoped would happen from their mission last night and it couldn't have gone any better. Not only were the akumas unsuspecting of him, they also weren't even sure if the police were involved- some of them had voiced their concerns but Ladybug had just shaken her head, saying she believed the thugs were holding Princess Fragrance to ransom. Adrien wasn't sure how she was so certain of that but he wasn't going to knock it. He had never been happier to hear someone getting something wrong in his life.

Speaking of something wrong… He could feel his cheeks flare up as a hand trailed to his neck, stretching the tight collar a little so some cool air could reach the fevered irritated skin. He hadn't wanted to wear this shirt, the collar was way too tight for his liking, but Ladybug had forced him to. If it hadn't been for her, his neck wouldn't be covered in bright red marks still bearing the evidence of teeth and his collarbone wouldn't have a large bite mark on it that made him look like he had been ravished by an animal. He still couldn't quite believe that fact. Ladybug had given him a hickey? How was that even possible? He could still taste her on his lips; she had been sweet like a candied apple but still with a little bite and he knew he could very easily get addicted to the flavour. But he had no time to think about that now. He had a job to do.

Almost wearily, he turned the corner to see Nino standing outside the room that held Princess Fragrance, his arms crossed as he slowly shook his head. "I don't know how you do it man," He said with a chuckle as he peered through the glass of the door. "I really don't know."

Adrien groaned. "I'm sorry I couldn't tell you again but I couldn't risk having anyone around the area at the time; if the akumas had even gotten a hint of a police presence they would have scarpered. We couldn't afford that."

"I know dude, the chief had it all explained to me." Nino said with a small smile aimed at his friend that made him instantly relax. "It's cool bro. Also I need to tell you, it's just going to be us two today. Marinette can't come in."

"Really?" Adrien asked in surprise. "Why?"

"She called in earlier saying something about really needing to get something sorted. It was put under a family emergency. I don't know any more than that I'm afraid."

"Oh." Adrien said, a little disappointed. "I hope everything's alright with her family. They are such nice people…"

"You already met her family?" Nino's eyebrows shot up under his cap as he gave a sly grin. "My, that was fast." He continued to grin even when Adrien angrily groaned and punched his shoulder.

"Not like that you perve." He retorted, really not in the mood this early in the morning. "Now come on, we have a suspect to deal with."

"OK, OK," Nino relented, still grinning. "So do we have a plan?"

"I don't know yet." Adrien stepped closer to the door and looked through the glass at Princess Fragrance. As he stared, he couldn't keep thinking of how familiar this scenario was and he got a sense of déjà vu. Their suspect was sitting on one side of a table with two empty chairs on the other side, her arms folded as she glared at the far wall with an expression that was anything but sweet. Unlike her companion who had shared her situation, she was still in her full make-up and uniform; she had fought so fiercely against the officers that had tried to clean her up that none of them would now go near her. Her eyes still held clear traces of fury in them, only illuminated by the bright pink of her contacts, and Adrien's forehead creased in thought. She looked like she would be a harder nut to crack than Reflekta had been. The game had changed too much for her to give in easy and for one brief moment, their success felt like a weight around his neck.

"You know we don't have long." Nino said after a moment of tense silence. "The chief is going to want results soon."

"I know, I know," Adrien sighed. "I'm just a little stumped right now. We can't do what we did with Reflekta here, this has just gone too… wait." A smile finally found his way onto his lips as an idea hit the mark in his mind. "That's it. That's all we have to do… heck, why didn't I think of doing this sooner?"

"Doing what?" Nino exclaimed as Adrien suddenly turned on his heel and strode back down the corridor. "Hey, where are you going? Wait up man!"

"Sorry but we need to work fast," Adrien threw his voice over his shoulder as he slowed down the tiniest bit so Nino could catch up. "You said it yourself, the chief wants results, right?"

"Yeah but…" Nino huffed. "I still have no idea what's going on in that head of yours!"

Adrien laughed. "And that's the way I intend to keep it!"

OOO

When the door to Reflekta's cell was open, she barely looked up, expecting it just to be the warden or one of the guards wanting another room inspection. It was only after she heard a light cough that sounded familiar when her head reared and she glared at the two detectives with enough coldness in her face to turn them into icebergs.

"Good morning." Adrien greeted her as if nothing was amiss and they weren't all standing in a prison cell. Reflekta's response was only a small growl as he started looking around the small plain room. It was painted a mottled green colour and one wall was almost entirely taken up by the giant steel door that trapped prisoners inside. A small bed sat forlornly in a corner opposite the one with a small silver bowl. There were heavy thick bars on the window that had moulded with the glass; it seemed the force were taking no chances with this valuable prisoner. "Nice digs. You enjoying it here?"

"What do you two want? I'm not telling you anything else!" She snapped, her eyes cold and unforgiving. Out of her pink akuma dress, she looked almost normal in prison slacks with her hair loose about her shoulders and her face free of all make-up but she still hadn't relinquished her fierce akuma attitude.

Adrien chuckled as he casually leaned against the doorframe, managing to look relaxed and yet block her exit at the same time. "Don't you think we would have been back sooner trying to make you talk if that had been the case?"

She frowned. It was true, she hadn't seen them for a few weeks but she still looked at them untrustingly. "So why are you here? I don't think you're planning on releasing me just yet."

"You thought correct." Adrien smiled. "But that could very easily be changed."

Reflekta raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"You should come with us." Adrien said, halting Nino when he went to grab handcuffs. "There's somebody here you really should meet."

OOO

"Reflekta?"

"Princess!"

Reflekta stayed standing in the open doorway for less than a second before she charged at the other girl who only had enough time to stand up before she was almost crushed in the force of her tight hug. The table and chairs were shunted back a little as both of them started crying, tears soaking into the green of her make-up and making it run. Adrien and Nino stood just outside the room, not wanting to intrude on the private moment but still wanting to supervise. After a few long moments, Reflekta pulled back a little only to cover Princess Fragrance's face with soft little kisses that made the girl squirm and giggle. Reflekta grinned at the sight, her lips tainted green before she cupped her face and made her pink eyes look deep into her hazel ones which were once again slowly brimming with tears.

"Are you alright?"

"Am I alright?" Princess Fragrance asked in shock. "I'm fine, what about you?!"

"Who cares about me?"

"I do! I've been worried sick, I wanted to come save you so badly but I didn't know what happened to you, what they were doing…" She gave a disgusted glance at the doorway. "You promise me you didn't get hurt?"

"I promise." Reflekta said sincerely, kissing her forehead and smoothing out her angry expression. "Nothing got hurt… except my pride that is, thanks to those two."

"You really wound us." Nino replied dryly and Adrien had to smother a laugh at his deadpan voice. "And I'm sorry to have to break up this tearful reunion but we have a few more questions for you. Both of you."

Reflekta glared over at them as she turned around, standing protectively in front of Princess Fragrance like she was worried they would spring at her and physically tear them apart. Her tall frame nearly hid the pink-haired girl from their sight but they could still see her face peeping around as she eyed them closely.

"I've already told you so much, this is way bigger than you realise. If I told you any more, I'd be dead the second I stepped out of here! I'm fine with risking my own life but I'm not doing the same with hers!"

"Wait… you already spoke to them?" Princess Fragrance looked aghast at her fellow akuma and Reflekta's mouth twitched.

"I had to. Otherwise they would have gone after you." Princess Fragrance looked stunned into silence but both cops saw her hand trail down her waist and snake into hers, clasping it tightly to show she understood. For a moment, Reflekta rapidly blinked like she was fighting back tears but soon she had regained her composure and was back to staring Nino and Adrien down. "Alright, I'll be willing to talk to you guys again but I want to know what's in it for me and her." She put her other hand on her hip as she lifted her head up with a new determination, fuelled by the hand she gripped tightly in her own. "Otherwise I'm keeping my trap shut."

There were a few seconds of silence as her words echoed in the room before Adrien shrugged and pushed himself away from the doorframe. "We figured you'd want something like that." He said simply, his eyes not leaving hers. "So we do have a proposition for you. If you talk to us again, we'll give you both the chance to disappear. You won't escape punishment completely, your crimes are just too many to count for that, but we are willing to give you our protection, the best kind we can offer. Nobody would have the chance to come after you then." He left a purposeful pause, allowing his words to sink in before he continued. "But you have to make sure the information you give us is worth it. We don't want just any old thing that pops into your head. The choice is yours."

Reflekta crossed her arms and gave him a long hard look like she was trying to suss him out. Adrien didn't move, keeping his eyes on hers the whole time and it ended up with her being the first to break away. She looked down at Princess Fragrance for a short moment and watched as the shorter girl gave a tentative nod before she spoke.

"OK. We'll answer any questions you have for us. No names though. I won't rat out anybody."

"Perfect." Adrien smiled as Nino grinned behind him. This could be the breakthrough they needed. The names weren't really important for the moment; they didn't want to just pluck away individual akumas, they wanted to get right into the heart of the organisation. "We only want a little information from you anyway. Firstly, I want to clear up something you touched on in our first interview Reflekta. You said that Hawkmoth always keeps his promises. What did you mean by that?"

Reflekta looked a little uncomfortable at the sudden interrogation, rubbing the toes of one foot on the floor but she gave a very definite answer. "I meant exactly what I said. Hawkmoth is a ruthless man, we all know that but he always keeps his promises. He makes one with every new akuma that is brought into his ranks and as long as they keep to that promise, he gives them exactly what they want. That's why the akumas are so loyal- if there is so much as a hint of betrayal, he will have no qualms about taking what he gave you away."

Nino and Adrien exchanged looks. This was a new piece of information and it made Adrien feel slightly worried. As Chat Noir, what promise would he be made to make? It was an unnerving thought but he pushed on, not wanting the tow of them to see any chink in their armour.

"Do you know what promises the other akumas made with him?"

"Some, not all." Reflekta shrugged. "Some people will tell those they trust and others find it too private to mention at all. Nobody knows Ladybug's for example."

I didn't think they would, Adrien thought. "What promise did you make with Hawkmoth?"

"I wanted to be recognised." Reflekta told him, not sounding ashamed or embarrassed about it at all. "I had committed so many crimes under so many different disguises that nobody could connect the dots and in a way that angered me. I wanted the world to see that I wasn't invisible and he gave me that chance. Now everybody knows my name and I'm no longer in the background and in return I serve him."

"I see," Nino said. "Now, this one is for Princess Fragrance." The small woman flinched at her name but she didn't look like she would back down, giving them both a level stare. "A few nights ago, some of our officers saw you and your fellow akumas travelling the streets of Paris without your leader Ladybug there. Could you possibly explain why that was?"

Princess Fragrance looked unimpressed but she still grudgingly answered. "We were heading to our main headquarters," She said honestly. "Ladybug had sent us off as a group last night as she had other business to attend to, important business, and before you ask, no I don't know what she was doing." She glared at them as if daring them to call her a liar before she continued. "We went there to talk with Hawkmoth about our newest member, Chat Noir."

"What about him?" Adrien managed to ask neutrally despite the fact his intestines were twisting inside him.

"He hasn't been properly introduced to him of course." Princess Fragrance snapped. "Hawkmoth's not going to be so much of an idiot as to let a stranger in his inner circle without having himself and the other akumas met them first. It's a really big deal so we didn't inform him of it, we didn't want to ruin the surprise. Of course, we all know he'll be fine, if he has Ladybug's support nothing can stop him."

That made Adrien feel a little better but his stomach still felt like it had been pummelled repeatedly. "Was this meeting arranged?"

"Yes for tonight." Princess Fragrance replied and Adrien nodded. Although the thought of it being so soon was terrifying, he knew it was better for it to be sooner than later; that way they could easily wrap up the case once and for all.

"One last question ladies, this time for both of you. Where is Hawkmoth's headquarters?"

Both of the girls looked at each other in shock, linked hands trembling slightly like leaves caught in the breeze. "That's… that's worth more than both our lives…" Princess Fragrance whispered and Reflekta gave a silent nod, her face pale and her mouth in a thin line. "D-do we really have to tell you that? He'd have us skinned alive…"

"If you tell us and we give you our protection, he won't be able to find you." Nino told them curtly. "That is part of our deal. But if you've both changed your minds…"

"Wait!" Reflekta shouted in her desperation, physically holding out an arm like she could grab the promise and clutch it to her chest. "Wait… it's down in the warehouse district, not far from where you arrested me. It's one of the smaller ones there but you can't miss it. Number S0109." Her hand finally fell to her side as she bowed her head. Silence filled the room again as Princess Fragrance reached a gentle arm around the taller girl's shoulders and went right up on her tiptoes to whisper in her ear and rub circles on her back.

"It's OK… anyone else would have done the same… we needed to be safe Jules, that's why… it's OK, I'm still here and I'm not going anywhere…"

Adrien looked back at Nino and his friend gave a brief nod; their work here was done. "Thank you for your co-operation ladies." Adrien said, feeling a little guilty when he saw how the pair of them were clutching to each other for support. Even with one of them still decked out in her costume, it was hard to see them both as terrifying gang members; they looked more like a pair of schoolgirls who found themselves up against the world with just each other for support. "We won't need anything more." His words were softly spoken as both cops left the room, closing the door gently before springing into action but that all went unnoticed by the couple left in the grey room. Slowly, as Reflekta made muffled sobs into her shoulder, Princess Fragrance stroked her long hair from scalp to tip, words not needed as the enormity of what had just happened sunk in.

"Hey… Rose?" Reflekta asked softly, pulling her head back a little so her forehead was dipped and resting on her girlfriend's, leaving a chalky smudge on her own skin. "We're… we're going to be fine, aren't we?"

Princess Fragrance smiled as one hand went to the back of Reflekta's neck. "Yes, we're going to be fine Juleka," She told her, leaning upwards to plant a kiss on her lips. "We're going to be fine."

OOO

That night, Chat Noir was waiting in the shadows of the arranged meeting spot he had been given by the akumas, his green eyes scanning the horizon as the bad feeling in his stomach refused to settle. Everything in him was saying this was the worst idea he had ever had and, for the first time in his living memory, he didn't have any argument against it. He tried to look relaxed, just in case he was being watched, by keeping his thumbs tucked in his belt and his head leaning lazily back against the hard wall behind him, hoping that they would still his trembling nerves. Tonight was the night where the case could either wrap up or fall apart- and it all depended on him.

He sighed. This was really the first meeting when he knew what was going to happen and now he almost wished he didn't know what was about to take place. He started wondering what would happen once this was all finished. It had consumed him for so long that to have it over would probably leave a great void in him. You'll find something else, you know you will, he thought but that gave him very little comfort. He closed his eyes and a pair of bright blue irises flashed before his own as his hand snaked up to the now faded but still painfully obvious bite mark on his neck.

Oh yeah. And he had to get over that as well. Good job Agreste.

His berating of himself was quickly interrupted by the whizzing sound of a yoyo string and he opened his eyes just as Ladybug landed a few paces away from him, her landing swift and flawless as she crouched and then straightened up, her eyes not leaving his. He could see her cheeks burning a little under her mask and her fingers were tense as they curled around her yoyo, looking like they might snap the thing as she trained herself not to reach out. He saw all those things and wondered if he was giving off the same signals. Had his breath hitched a little at the sight of her or had his body shifted so it was her and only her in his line of sight? He could only give a smirk to let her know he felt her pain and she returned it, playfulness playing at her lips as their shared memories gave them a joint rush.

Chat Noir didn't even know the other akumas had arrived with her until he heard Evillustrator's obnoxious voice sever their lifeline.

"Can we go already?" He snapped, really sounding angry at the eyes the pair were making at each other. To his right, Lady Wifi gave a pleased giggle and as Chat Noir turned to look at the three, he could have sworn he saw her wink at him. "We need to get moving, Hawkmoth won't be happy if we're late."

"Hawkmoth?" Chat Noir repeated, pushing himself from the wall and staring at them in mock surprise. "Are you for real?"

"It's just a minor thing," Ladybug brushed off his concern as she put her hand on his shoulder, a gesture that made Evillustrator look ready to explode. "He just wants to give you a look-over, make sure you're made of the right stuff. It shouldn't be long though- he knows he can trust me when it comes to these things." She gave him a small smile and he felt like his insides would melt from happiness. In that moment, he forgot what his job was and what was going to happen as he allowed himself to bask in this warm glow. This was perfect and as he smiled back and watched her grin widen, he should have released it wasn't going to last.

The bullet that sounded like thunder shot straight behind their gazes, forcing their eyes away from each other as they sprang back. It bedded itself in the wall behind them and for a split second there was silence as they all froze, staring at the small hole in the concrete with the sound ringing in their ears. Then the barrage continued. Like the clouds had opened up and started a rainstorm, the noises of metal on concrete started to ping all around them as they all covered their heads and bent down, too startled and confused to think straight.

Shit! Adrien's mind screamed as several got too close for comfort, one zooming past his ear and another almost cutting away a claw when he dared to raise his head a little. What the heck is going on?

His blood chilled when the wail of sirens started up from the ground and he heard a voice bark up at them to get down and come quietly, the voice tinged with the metal edge of a megaphone. The police? What were they doing, this was way too early! Panic seized him as the hail of bullets only seemed to get thicker and louder and it only calmed a little when he felt a hand rip at his shoulder.

"C'mon, we need to go!" Ladybug shouted in his ear, her voice filled with her usual authority as her eyes locked on his. "Get up!" That command was enough to make his panic evaporate and he hastily scrambled to his feet as she started to run, still holding him in a vice-like grip as her hand moved from his shoulder and down his arm before she clasped his hand tightly and used it to steer him like a rudder.

"We can't lead them back to the base!" She called out to the other three akumas who had huddled around her in order to hear her next command. "Take a detour and we'll shake them off our tail. You guys know what to do by now with people this persistent. And make it quick- you know how I hate to be late."

Evil grins crossed the faces of his comrades as they split away and Adrien felt a jolt of worry for the officers down below who were chasing them. It couldn't have been their fault this had cocked up so badly, they were probably only following orders… but who had overridden his? He had told them to lie low until they reached the warehouse and had all the akuma inside, ready to catch like a bunch of mice in a trap. This had now turned from a smoothly run operation to a giant mess and he had no clue how to fix it.

The gunshots carried on following their trail as Ladybug tried to shake them off her, first going in one direction, then the other in an attempt to lose them and be out of danger. After a few minutes of frantically trying to keep up and feeling like a dead weight she was dragging around, Chat Noir realised the noises behind them were beginning to thin out and soon the air around them was quiet as they both puffed like steam trains to a stop. He looked behind them and saw there was nobody below them; the akumas really did know what they were doing. Swallowing his guilt down, he turned back to his leader and saw to his horror that she was swaying on her feet.

"My Lady! Are you alright?" He forced himself to stay steady as he reached out to hold her up, feeling how both their legs were buckling from the exhaustion of their running and their fear. "Ladybug?"

"Sorry," She said gently, a weak smile plastered on her face as she once again gripped his shoulders tight. "I've been exhausting myself all day running around trying to get any information about Princess Fragrance and I haven't stopped at all. This must have been the final straw." She giggled, almost sounding delirious as she looked up at him. "Chat…"

She never finished her sentence as a sudden sound from above them made her scream and topple over. She fell right on Chat Noir as he tried but failed to keep them both upright and the back of his head hit the ground hard, sending pain shooting all through his body and making him cry out. Ladybug's weight on top of his chest knocked the wind from him and he spluttered as she righted herself, her hands either side of his head in a parody of their position last night.

"Chat are you…" He heard her try to speak above him but her voice was cut off mid-sentence by a gasp and he suddenly felt her arms begin to violently shake.

"Ladybug… I'm fine… Owww…" He murmured as he rose on hand to his face. He rubbed his forehead, expecting to feel leather there but instead his finger met the softness of his own skin. His eyes shot open as he turned his head to the side, not wanting to believe what his senses were telling him. Only about a few inches from his face, his black mask sat crumpled on the ground, one end pointing upwards towards the sky in the exact place it had landed when it had been knocked from his face. He looked back upwards and at once caught the betrayal in those blue eyes that were slowly filling with water as she looked down at him. He was about to start trying to explain when he saw the state of her mask and his words dried up on his tongue. Her red and black mask was still on her face but only just as one corner still determinedly clung to one cheek, only serving to conceal the tiniest of patches of her skin. The rest of her face was left exposed for the whole world to see and as they both stared at each other in shock, time froze as they each uttered the other's name at the same time.

"Adrien?"

"Marinette!"

 _I know, I'm awful with cliffhangers, please don't hate me!_

 _Anyway, I feel really guilty that this took so long (it feels like forever since I last updated) but I'm having my butt kicked by uni right now and although I love it, I'm kinda exhausted, almost as bad as Ladybug is. I'm going to try and get the next chapter up quicker because I don't want to leave you in suspense for too long, I'm not that evil._

 _I hope you guys liked it and aren't out for my blood or anything. Please review if you want!_


	13. Chapter 13

"No." The single word fell from her lips like a teardrop as she stared down at his bare face in horror. "No, no, this can't be happening…"

She pushed herself away from him, standing upright as tears began to fall down her cheeks in long rivets, her gloved hand pressed over her mouth like she was ready to scream. She wanted this to all be a nightmare, she wanted to open her eyes and be at the station being scolded by her teammates for napping but the aching in her wobbling legs soberly told her that this was reality even though she couldn't take in the sight before her. Adrien was still paralysed on the ground, his limbs frozen and splayed out and his chest heaving as he looked up at her with equal horror in his glowing green eyes. On his cheek there was a red mark, one she realised she had probably caused when she fell, making him lose his mask. She could feel a dull pain on her own cheek and she wondered if he could feel his too. They must have hit each other pretty hard…

Meanwhile Adrien felt like he couldn't move. He knew he should be running for the hills and he knew he should be scared out of his mind that his identity had just been uncovered but instead all he felt was emptiness. He felt like his entire core had been scooped away and the woman before him held all the tools that did it. How? How could Marinette be Ladybug? That was all he could think as they stood there still and lifeless like a pair of painted figures locked in a sickening tragedy.

"Ladybug!"

A shout echoed from behind them as the other three akumas ran over to them. That sound must have come from them distracting the police, Adrien thought but his realisation came to an abrupt halt when the akumas all went to crowd around their leader who was still standing there shell-shocked. None of them paid any attention to the figure slumped on the floor and Adrien knew this was his one chance to escape but he found he couldn't move as his eyes were still glued to Ladybug.

"Ladybug? Wait, are you OK?" Lady Wifi asked concerned, her hands going to her friend's cheeks and looking surprised when she found the water there. "What happened to your mask? Mari, come on, speak to me!"

Ladybug didn't say a thing and Lady Wifi gave her a gentle shake before she turned around. "Chat Noir, what-holy shit!"

She covered her mouth with her hands as the others finally noticed him and once again everything seemed to go still as they all recognised him. It was then when Adrien finally paid close attention to them all and the penny finally dropped with such a loud clang inside his head, he was surprised they couldn't hear it. The akumas… they were all the friends of Marinette that they had met in the Kwami Café, the ones he and Nino had drunk with and who had been so welcoming. Had that all been a ruse? He was wondering now how he hadn't seen it before. Ivan, the builder who had been so quiet and stoic, was Stoneheart, Nathanaël, the artist with paint-stained fingers who had been so possessive over Marinette, was now so clearly the Evillustrator and Lady Wifi, the journalist, she had to be Lady Wifi… Oh no, Adrien thought with a thud of panic in his chest. How the heck am I going to tell Nino that his new girlfriend is an akuma?

"Hey!" Adrien was brutally cut from his thoughts by the loud voice of the Evillustrator who was grinning at him smugly like he had just won a great prize. "Isn't that the police officer whose been on our tail for so long? The one who caught Reflekta? He's an infiltrator!" His tone sounded outraged but the grin that was slashed across his face betrayed how pleased he really was and Lady Wifi shot him an angry look before she turned back to Marinette who was still standing there like she had been turned to ice.

"Oh Mari… I'm so sorry…" Lady Wifi turned back to Marinette but she still kept staring down at him, her complete inability to move making them all go silent. Tears were still sparkling in the corners of her eyes like stars and Adrien was suddenly reminded of that night where they had stood under the night sky and watched the stars above them. That now seemed like an eternity ago as he remembered her smile from that night and he felt the piecing of his own guilt like a spear through his chest. How much did she trust me to open up like that? He thought. I never wanted this...

"Marinette? I-"

He whispered her name and the sound rolling from his lips seemed to jolt her into action as her entire face changed, shifting into a cold expression sharper than broken glass. She stared down at him with a face like a marble mask and he shuddered when he realised the girl whose name he had just called wasn't there anymore.

"Stoneheart." She said callously, her tone so smouldering it made him hastily step forwards whilst the other two gave her a wary look. "We're already late for Hawkmoth. Didn't I say I hated to be late?"

The man painted with stone only nodded and her lips became a grim line that made Adrien's blood run cold.

"Good, then finish him." Adrien only had a split second of realisation before a heavy fist came barrelling down on his head, knocking him to the ground as blackness swirled before his eyes. "I'm not having him be a distraction any longer."

OOO

"Urgh…"

Adrien came to with a groan, his head throbbing like an earthquake was rattling his skull. He tried to prise one eye open but gave a wince as the one simple movement made his entire body ache as feeling returned to his cold limbs. He could feel his back was pressed against something cold and hard that was biting into his skin and his arms were being pulled backwards so he could barely move them. His fingers felt frozen and he tried to move to warm them up but all he heard was a loud clanking as metal crashed against metal. Both eyes shot open at the harsh brittle sound and in panic he struggled again but the sounds only grew louder and more desperate.

"I see he's finally awake."

A low deep voice came from somewhere in the darkness surrounding him, followed by a gleeful chuckle, and it made him frantically look around for the source, animal instincts coming to the fore as he started to fight against whatever was binding him but to no avail. It took him a moment to calm down, his shallow gasps deafening in the air around him and he tried to remember his training as his mind cleared just enough for him to think. As his eyes started to adjust to the single dim light that shone on him from above, he angled his head to try and see what was holding him captive. He caught a gleam of silver from his wrist and it didn't take him long to recognise them as a pair of heavy duty police handcuffs, used only on the worst and most volatile criminals, tied around a metal pole that was firmly stuck in the ground.

How fucking ironic, he thought crossly and he had to catch himself before he actually hissed at the sight of them before he dragged his head back to examine the rest of his body. Apart from a few rips in his leather suit and grazes on his skin from where his unconscious body had been yanked along like a sack of dirty laundry, he appeared to be unscathed and his baton was still securely in place on his belt. He wondered for a moment why the akumas hadn't taken his weapon away but he was scared he already knew the answer; they knew he didn't have a chance in hell of using it. He looked around again, trying to catch sight of some clue that could potentially tell him where he was but all around him there was nothing but blackness. He felt like a mouse caught between the paws of a cat, knowing the final kill was coming but not knowing when his predator would be finished toying with him. He forced himself to take a deep breath before he asked a question into the dark gloom, his stomach twisting with fear as he wondered what response he would get.

"Where am I?"

"Oh and he can still speak too." The voice came back slightly louder than before, each word pronounced in such a way it made them curl. "Thank goodness for that- I was wondering if you hit him too hard Stoneheart and that would really be a pity, wouldn't it?"

A general hum of agreement, accompanied with little giggles and snorts, hit him from all directions and made him jump, causing the handcuffs to jangle again like they were trying to join in. A chill went up his spine at just how trapped he was and he tried to sit up but the awkwardness of his position made that nearly impossible and the effort was too much for his drained cold body.

"I wouldn't try that if I were you," The voice echoed menacingly, making him stop in his tracks as a lone figure stepped from the darkness and into his meagre pool of light, towering over him and blocking his vision as he slowly shook his head like a disappointed schoolmaster. "You'll only make it worse for yourself."

Adrien was ready to make a retort when the figure straightened up, exposing his masked face to the light and that made all the words ready to fire on his tongue fly away. He had never seen the strange lean man in his life before but he knew instantly just from the way he held himself, like a king over a disappointing subject, and the sick glint in his eyes that this was the man who he had been pursuing this whole time. His body felt like it had been dipped in ice as cold pale blue eyes scanned him ruthlessly from behind a grey mask that covered his whole head, not even betraying his hair colour, that looked almost like metal as it shone under the light. It sunk into every curve and hollow of his face and he may have looked ridiculous for wearing it if he wasn't so frightening. Except for a small ring of white around his sickly grinning mouth, none of his skin was exposed; he wore black gloves and shoes with a long purple suit that looked surprisingly well made. Instead of a tie, an elaborate butterfly pin sat around his neck with long thin lilac wings that looked almost like blades that would cut you if you got too close. In his hands, he was rolling a short wooden cane with an orb of purple glass at the top and in the thin light, it seemed to eerily glow. Every single inch of the man screamed intimidation and Adrien suddenly wondered why Ladybug was deemed the scariest one when this man could make him want to recoil.

"Hawkmoth." The word came out as a fact, sounding surprisingly calm despite his turmoil inside, and the man only smiled wider.

"Smart boy." He said slickly, pointing the cane at him before putting it under his chin and using up to tilt his head up. Adrien couldn't move as he examined his face, the cane harshly pushing his face this way and that until he felt like cattle being prodded and sized up for market. He finally was allowed to wrench his face away and he stared up defiantly through his hair that had fallen in front of his eyes.

"My, somebody's feeling braver than they did five minutes ago." Hawkmoth sneered down at him as the cackling came back, louder and feeling like a force pressing on him from above. "I doubt you would be so confident if you knew where you were."

"Where I am?" He asked, trying to think of what he could mean.

Hawkmoth stepped back so he was on the fringes of the light, half-cast in shadow as he gave another sinister look. "Oh of course," He said with the air of someone who had forgotten something trivial. "You can't see a thing can you? How silly of me!" He gave a mock swoon before he grinned again, his face contorting to such an extent he looked like his own caricature. "Let's shed a little light on this whole thing then."

He snapped his fingers and at once, the place was filled with a blistering light that made Adrien hunch over to protect his eyes. He could hear more sneering, more chattering voices, as his eyes slowly got accustomed to the glare and when they no longer felt ready to shrivel up and burn, he turned his head sideways to look at where he was… and suddenly he wished he was back in darkness again.

He couldn't see too much of the place but he knew he was inside a large warehouse from the wavy metal walls and sloped ceiling with lights hanging down like victims, sadly illuminating the flaked paint of the metal around them. There was nothing in here that indicated it was the meeting place of the most feared crime ring in Paris but he guessed that was what made it so ingenious- who in their right mind would look here? He couldn't see any entrance and there were various items around the room, leaning against the walls like old men with sticks but he didn't care to look at most of them, nor could he tell what they were. He couldn't see their full forms as he was imprisoned in a circle of people, all decked out in outlandish costumes that wouldn't have looked out of place in a carnival, yet they looked so bloodthirsty he felt like he had been thrown into an arena and they were seconds away from bringing out a lion to tear him apart. There were some he knew like Lady Wifi, who was giving him a regretful look, and Evillustrator, who he had never seen look happier, but there were others he only recognised from printed, slightly blurred photos in the police files he poured over. Now they were no longer just ink and paper, they were real and standing around him and he couldn't take it all in. Names flashed through his head as he looked around at them all. Timebreaker. Dark Cupid. Horrificator, who was standing so close to Stoneheart, almost patting his arm. They were all there, each and every one of them and he felt his fear rise up through him like bile.

"You see? We had quite the little gathering prepared for you Chat Noir," Hawkmoth said, spreading his arms out as he witnessed all his followers. "Or should I say, Adrien Agreste?"

The way he said his true name made Adrien feel almost shameful and when he caught sight of Ladybug standing by Hawkmoth's side, he felt even worse. Marinette was standing there just out of line with the circle, closer to Hawkmoth with her mask still gripped in the loose claw of her hand. She had her head slightly bowed, not looking him directly in the eye and it gave her the appearance of a wilted plant, desperate to be ignored. He stared over at her, silently pleading with her to look up so she could see the apology in his face but she didn't even twitch and he was so caught up in looking at her, he didn't notice when Hawkmoth followed his eye line and gave a chuckle.

"Ah yes, I'd almost forgotten who brought you here." Hawkmoth smiled as he walked back over to her side, putting his arm around her shoulder and squeezing her tightly against his body. She lay limply in his arms, letting him hold her upright and the gesture sent alarm bells ringing through his head. What exactly was going on?

"You know my precious little bug, usually I can count on you," Hawkmoth suddenly said in a mock whisper, his mouth so close to her ear it looked like his tongue would whip out and lick it at any moment. His voice was low and purring and his head was still locking her in place but Ladybug stood there as if resigned, not even flinching as flecks of spit peppered the side of her face. "You're usually so _good_." The word was spoken like thunder and it made the whole room tense up even though when he continued speaking, his voice hadn't changed. "Yet your last mission to punish one of my ex-associates didn't end with his balls on a platter for me and you tell me you have found a new akuma and you bring him into our fold only for him to be an undercover cop. He isn't one of your lot, is he?"

"I didn't know." She spoke her first words since arriving at the warehouse with a firm tone, still sounding in control even though she clearly wasn't. "I had no idea and if I had, he would have been finished with. And that mission went wrong due to circumstances I couldn't control, you can't expect me to work miracles." He gave her a look and she seemed to lose all her confidence, dipping her head once again. "But I am sorry. I promise it won't happen again."

"Of course it won't." Hawkmoth purred again, his hand suddenly grabbing at her jaw and holding her face there, hovering so close to his they were practically cheek to cheek. "You'll make sure of that won't you… if I'm merciful for this time."

"Yes Hawkmoth." Ladybug answered in the monotone of a minion and Adrien felt stunned at the utter dejection that radiated from her. Why wasn't she fighting? Was this really the same woman that had charged head-first into a crowd of guards, determined she could beat them all? He dragged his eyes away from her as Hawkmoth gave another twisted smile.

"There's a good girl." He said and those words made Adrien feel like he was going to vomit. The realisation of what was happening before his eyes was hitting him hard, even though he would never have thought it possible if it weren't for the fact that they were so close and he was holding her like a vice. That was only viciously, brutally confirmed when Hawkmoth yanked her face upwards and slowly skimmed his mouth across the expanse of her cheek, humming against her skin as he slowly travelled closer, ever closer to her lips…

"DON'T TOUCH HER!"

The ferocity in the shout surprised even him as he exploded into the sky and watched as the room's tension suddenly seemed to solidify around him. Everyone went still, even Hawkmoth who paused with his tongue centimetres from the corner of her mouth, half darted out like a lazy snake. Ladybug finally was staring at him, her crystal-blue eyes open wide in shock as Hawkmoth abruptly dropped her and stalked over to him.

"No, wait please…" He heard her briefly plead, her fingers trying to grasp the silky material of his suit and tug him away but it slipped through her fingers like water. That was all he saw before a fist in a black glove was smashed into the side of his face, making his head jerk back and slam against the metal pole. Another punch then came to the other side, making a loud crunching sound as it collided with his nose and he tasted copper on his tongue as it began to dribble red down the lower half of his face. He coughed some out, making a splashing pattern on the ground before him but still he didn't cry out, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of hearing his pain. Then he felt fingers clawing at the short hairs on the back of his neck and his head was pulled backwards sharply, forcing him to look into the cold eyes as Hawkmoth gave a snarl.

"What did you just say?" He hissed angrily, pulling at Adrien's hair and making his head rock with pain. "Well?!"

Adrien fixed him with his own stare, his green eyes blazing as he shot out with contempt "I said don't touch her. What you're doing is sick! You shouldn't do that to her, you shouldn't do that to anyone!"

There was another long moment of shocked silence before Hawkmoth started to laugh. The sound felt like shards of ice were being stabbed into his skin and as it continued, he started to sway on his heels, tipping Adrien back and forth until he thought he might lose all of his hair. Then, just as suddenly as he had grabbed it, he stopped laughing and dragged him forwards, making the chains clang in protest as they were tested to their limit.

"I shouldn't do it to anyone? Boy, you really don't know anything do you?" He spat directly in Adrien's face, fury evident in every cutting word. "I can do this because I _own_ these people. They know it and I know it so I can do whatever the fuck I want with them, you hear me? So I would get any thoughts of that sweet bug out of your head right now," He sneered as he jabbed a thumb behind him at Marinette who was staring at them both with her hands over her mouth to smother her cries and tears leaking from the corners of her eyes. "Because the last thing she's going to see of you is your brain matter splattered all over this floor."

He gave a grin as he dropped Adrien, letting his head sag back down with a gasp, and stood up, turning back to Marinette as he addressed her. "I suspect your unit will find him tomorrow Ladybug? You might even be the one who uncovers his body and has to write that report. None of the officers back there will know, hmm? None of them will know you stood there and watched him die like a dog. Or should that be a mangy street cat?"

He laughed at his own words as Marinette finally did flinch. She stared back at Adrien, his face bloodied and his head bruised, imagining how he would be found in the morning, his body slumped forwards as his life wept out of him… would his eyes be closed? She closed her own, shaking her head slightly as she did so. She didn't think she could cope if his eyes were open, staring at her glassy and empty where once there had been so much passion and drive… She had seen so much love in those eyes and she just didn't deserve it, she didn't deserve anything for what she had done…

The sudden click of a gun made her eyes burst open and she turned to see Hawkmoth was now by her side again, a silver handgun clutched in his blackened fingers. It was pointed straight at Adrien and she could see the widening of his eyes as he stared down the barrel. She could tell from the trajectory exactly where it would hit; dead in the centre of his forehead where there would be no escape from death. He couldn't move. He couldn't reach his weapon. He couldn't avoid this.

She looked up at Hawkmoth and his eyes were stone cold, locked on his target. "Wait…" The word fell from her lips before she could stop it and all the eyes in the room turned on her but out of all of them she could only see two; Adrien's green ones, full of surprise and warmth that she was begging for mercy and Hawkmoth's pale blue ones that screamed contempt.

He stared at her for a long time before the hand holding the gun whipped round and caught her on the side of her face. She staggered backwards, clasping her cheek at the new ache that was forming and now she could also taste blood in her mouth from where she had bitten her tongue. She quickly gained her composure, standing up straight and looking him in the eyes before spitting a small gob of red on the floor.

"Pathetic." Hawkmoth spat out at her, pointing the gun back at Adrien but this time he barely acknowledged it. He was staring at Marinette as she continued to levelly stare back at her leader and he wondered how he had never noticed the similarities before. Both Ladybug and Marinette were two of the strongest people he knew… how could they not be one? "I can't believe this. After all this time, you fall for him?" He sounded angry now, his voice bristling with poison. "What did I tell you about feelings in this business? There's no place for them for scum like you."

She still refused to look away and Adrien watched with his stomach in a knot as he prayed he wouldn't do anything else to hurt her. Then, like a switch had been flicked inside him, he suddenly smiled again, manically beaming as he leant in close to her and hissed in her ear. "This will be your punishment, Ladybug. You can stand here and watch him die and know you caused it and did nothing to stop it. If you'd known he was doing this, you could have saved him… but you didn't and you're the only one to blame for your heart being broken."

Adrien wanted to yell at him to stop but before he could, Hawkmoth's eyes were back on him, making him feel like his limbs were paralyzed. The gun was still squarely pointing at his head and he could already feel the hush of death playing at his heels. He wanted to sigh. They had been so close, he had been so close… He wondered if Nino would carry the case on without him. He wondered if Marinette would still be part of it. Would the chief insist? Probably not in a matter of grief. Still, he knew he wouldn't have changed a thing- he had known the risks and been willing to take them plus he had met the most amazing woman… yes he still thought of her that way, even after everything, even after her betrayal. That knowledge was almost a relief to him and when he saw her turn to look at him, he offered her a smile that said more than any words he could have spoken.

 _It's OK. I forgive you. And I still love you._

He didn't see the smile tearing her apart as he softly closed his eyes. He wouldn't be a coward at this moment he was determined of that, but he didn't want his eyes to give him the opportunity of floundering. There was nothing as he listening to the akumas give a murmur of excitement, pleased to see their threat almost wiped out. Then there was the smallest of scuffling sounds before the gun went off.

BANG

Something hit him hard but he could tell instantly that it wasn't the bullet. His chest heaved as he waited for something, anything to indicate what had happened but all he could tell from the feeling in his body was that he was alive, mysteriously alive. Then he heard the smallest of clicks coming from behind him and a gasp from above him that sounded more like a whimper. He tilted his head up and felt his nose brushing against something before he opened his eyes and froze.

Ladybug was standing half-crouched over him, her face looking down on his with her eyes wide but still focused. He could see her chest fluttering with tiny laboured breaths but as he looked down, the true horror of what had just happened hit him when he saw the blood. It seamlessly blended into her suit around her middle, gushing down in streams and he almost screamed when he felt her body flop, gripping onto the metal pole for support. Without thinking, he reached his arms out and caught her, not even realising he had been freed until he had lain her gently on the ground. His handcuffs now were abandoned forlornly on the floor and he stared back at Ladybug stunned. What was she doing? Why had she taken his bullet and then freed him?

He leant over her, the rest of the room suddenly not mattering as tears started to gather in the corners of his eyes. She just looked up at him and smiled, groaning slightly as she tried to move her hand up to brush them away.

"Remember that test?" She whispered, her voice hoarse and coughing but still soft. "Looks like I've still got it." She tried to laugh but it hurt too much and some tears seeped out across her cheeks that he quickly dried.

"Why?" He choked out, not wanting this to be real. "You could have left me, I would have held nothing against you… why?"

She smiled again, like it was the only thing she could do, as she took his hand and pressed his knuckles to her lips. "Because I wanted to do something right… for once…" He could hear she was getting weaker and he tried to apply more pressure to the wound on her back, not caring how his hands were now deep red. "I didn't want to be… worthless and I couldn't watch you… get hurt…"

"How touching." Adrien suddenly turned his head round and snarled as Hawkmoth just stood there a few steps away, watching them with amusement like they were the grand finale of a play, before he glared down at Marinette who still had enough strength to shoot him a glare. "You really are that pathetic. Tch. All that talent, all those years of loyalty wasted… Still I'm sure it won't take me too long to find a replacement for you. And this really will be a waste… because your boyfriend here is still going to die. Finish the job!"

Adrien stood up as he threw his arm forwards and the akumas slowly began to close in, all apart from Lady Wifi who hung back with her arms wrapped around herself, unable to look at her best friend lying injured on the ground. He tugged on his belt to free his baton and he whirled it around himself, daring any of them to come closer.

"You are not going to lay a finger on her!" He growled lowly and some of them hesitated at the sheer fury in his voice. He knew he meant it too, he was going to fight until his last breath if he had to, just to make sure she wasn't hurt by them…

Just then, there was a burst of light and sound as one of the walls suddenly exploded. A giant hole was smashed into the wall as everyone covered their eyes to shield themselves from the red and blue lights that were now filling the warehouse, along with the long low wails of police sirens. Adrien almost collapsed to his knees at the familiar sounds; he had never been so relieved in his life as men dressed in blue uniforms and armed with guns came rushing in. He looked over his shoulder into the outside world just as a figure stepped into the doorway with a megaphone and his voice was projected over the heads of all the akumas who froze in their circle like they were about to perform a ritual.

"Get your hands in the air and on your knees now!" Nino shouted before he saw his best friend and ran over to catch him. "You are all under arrest!"

 _Does this count as a cliff hanger? I'm not sure but this seemed like the best place to end it… Anyway, this was so much fun to write! I've wanted to write this chapter since the story began and now I have and I'm so pleased with it! I know it took me a while but I've had a few deadlines to keep up with and I wanted to get this right for you guys. All your reviews have been so great and I can't thank you enough for them, they really help me to write when I'm in a rut._

 _This story is now drawing to a close so please stay tuned for the ending which hopefully should be up quicker (no promises though). Hope you guys liked it and please review!_


	14. Chapter 14

When Adrien blearily opened his eyes for the second time in that long exhausting night, he felt more drained than he had ever felt in his life. His limbs, whilst no longer cold, felt so heavy he almost wondered how he would ever lift them and even when he opened his eyelids just the tiniest crack, they felt like they would crash back down at any second. He could still faintly taste copper in his mouth and on his dry lips, a memento of what had happened earlier, and he would have checked if his nose was broken if he had any energy to do so. Again, he didn't know where he was or what was happening but he was so tired he wasn't sure he cared. Maybe I should just go back to sleep…

"Hey Adrien? Bro, you waking up?"

Nino's voice took the weight from his eyelids as they shot open and his head went to the side to follow the sound. He saw his friend was sitting next to him in a plastic chair, still in his uniform that looked slightly crumpled like he had been in a scuffle and his hair was all in spikes from where he had been dragging his fingers but when he saw Adrien looking up at him, he gave a wide grin.

"Hey man. Welcome back to the land of the living."

"Good to be back." Adrien answered, giving a smile even though the words felt like they were ripping at his dried throat. He went to sit up, looking around the room as he tried to work out what was happening, his head feeling warm and fuggy like it had just been in a microwave. He could still remember everything in the warehouse like it had happened only minutes before but he could tell from the daybreak peering in from the bottom of the curtains opposite him that several hours had passed. He could feel bedsheets slipping down his body as he went to sit up and when he looked down, he was in a pair of papery white hospital pyjamas. Everything else in the bare room was white, from the walls to the curtains to the ceiling and the only spots of colour were provided by the dawn sneaking in under the curtain hem and a bowl of fruit on a small white side table which he realised Nino must have brought. He looked over at it and chuckled.

"God, things must have been bad if you brought me that."

Nino laughed, not even trying to hide his relief. "That's what the others at the station sent when they heard the news earlier," He explained. "I'm just the delivery boy. Everyone was shocked when they heard what happened to you, nobody could believe it. I mean, you were literally kidnapped and taken to Hawkmoth… And the fact that it was Marinette too man…"

Nino stopped as he shook his head, still unable to comprehend it. Adrien understood; he was still coming to grips with it himself and he reached up a hand to squeeze his friend's shoulder. He thought of Marinette and how she had stood by her leader, her mask off like she had been stripped bare and answering him in a hollow voice, and he felt something twist at his stomach. How had everything gone so damn wrong…

"I feel so bad," He heard Nino say and he stared at him in surprise. "The whole time I kept pushing you two together and she betrayed you and gave you up to Hawkmoth… I should've known something was up, why she was so damn keen all of a sudden…"

"It's OK dude," Adrien said reassuringly as Nino turned to properly look at him. "None of us had a clue who she was, she'd been working at the station for years and people who had known her all that time had no idea- we'd have never worked it out in the space of a few days."

"I guess so." Nino shrugged with a small smile but Adrien could still see he felt bad about it. "What actually happened Adrien? One second, everything seemed to be going fine and the next, you were gone and nobody could get hold of you!"

"I'm not sure myself, everything just went so wrong so quickly." Adrien said before he started telling him what he remembered. He told him about the shots from the police officers on the ground, how they had had to run and then about how they had accidentally revealed their identities to each other, which made Nino first gasp and then burst out laughing- "You knocked it off her face! You idiot!"- and then about the akumas turning and knocking him out. The room then seemed to go silent as he described waking up in the warehouse and facing the man himself and Nino could only stare with wide eyes as Adrien went through it all, not leaving out any details.

"Dude, you never told me you and Ladybug had the hots for each other!" Nino burst out when Adrien had to backtrack and explain what had happened on previous raids, his face madly blushing when he got to that time in the cleaning cupboard. "This explains so frigging much! No wonder you were so eager for some of those missions and that's why you were so late that morning… You sly cat!"

He elbowed him in the side, gently enough to not enflame his injuries, but enough to make Adrien flare even redder. "Nino, stop it, this is serious!"

"I know this is serious- my bro finally got some!" Nino cackled as Adrien groaned and hid his head in his hands, wishing that some deity would have pity on him and throw a thunderbolt to end his misery. "Maybe you and Marinette were perfect for each other after all! And she really must have felt the same if she took a bullet for you…"

"Is she OK?" Adrien stared at him pleadingly, his heart already feeling like it was about to be shattered even if he didn't know the answer yet. The last he could remember of her, she had been lying on the ground, her costume soaked in blood and her face paler than bone… Was there a way anyone could survive that?

"Don't worry bro, she's fine." Nino answered him and he let out a long breath as relief flooded him. "She was in a pretty bad way when I found you guys, I honestly thought she was dead but then she opened her eyes when you collapsed and I started dragging you away. Everyone was freaked out but then she started giving orders and before we knew it, everyone was arrested and someone had sent for an ambulance. She was scary man, no wonder everybody feared her." He gave a short laugh before he carried on, seeing how tense Adrien was from the way he was almost tearing the bedsheets in his grasp. "But anyway, she got to the hospital, she was rushed to surgery and now she's fine. The bullet lodged itself in some soft tissue in her body and they were able to get it out easily- they said if it hadn't, it would have gone straight through her and you both would have been dead."

Adrien could only nod- he didn't trust his voice enough to talk about how close both of them had been to dying and how close Hawkmoth had been to winning. "What… what happened with the squad? Why did you guys start shooting so early when I gave you all orders not too?"

"Believe me, I didn't want to shoot." Nino told him, his teeth gnawing at the corner of his lip being the main signal of his discomfort. "But we got orders from the chief to shoot the moment we spotted the akumas- he obviously didn't understand your plan, he said it was way too risky and we needed to keep officer safety as our main priority. Of course, I knew that there was an officer with the akumas but nobody else did so when they started firing, I was trying to get them to stop but then you guys ran and we had to follow you… It wasn't long before they lured us away and then when I tried to contact you, you wouldn't pick up. I was so scared then, I thought a stray bullet had got you and you were dying somewhere…"

"That's surprisingly close to the truth." Adrien tried to joke but he immediately wished he hadn't when he saw Nino look almost green. "Hey Nino calm down, it wasn't your fault, it was the chief's- I knew he didn't believe in us from the start. What's going to happen to him now?"

"From the looks of it, an investigation." Nino said, looking slightly better and even a little gleeful at the chief getting his just deserts. "Everyone at the station exploded when they heard about what he had done and some were criticising him over letting you do this alone without proper back up- as in me." He grinned as he made a pose. "I could have been a great akuma, the coolest one yet! Can't you see me as… oh I don't know… The Bubbler or something?"

"Dude that name is so lame." Adrien smirked back, getting his revenge as Nino pouted at him. "So what will happen to him then?"

"He'll probably quit before that happens, more of a jump before he gets pushed sort of thing." Nino nodded sagely. "You never know bro, you could be in line for his job- people are already saying you deserve some sort of recognition for your bravery."

Adrien snorted as he waved his hand dismissively. "I don't want anything like that though, all I did was my job."

"Always the humble one." Nino shook his head at him but there was no malice in the action, only a sense of pride. "You would deserve it though- you did face Hawkmoth and not die!"

"Eloquently put Nino," Adrien sighed at his friend. "But that wouldn't have happened if you hadn't come just at the right moment so really you get some of the credit."

Nino chuckled at that, going red in embarrassment as his hand rubbed at the back of his neck like that could somehow stop the red colour flowing to his cheeks. "Well I guess I did stop you from committing mass murder. When that wall came down, the first thing I saw was your angry face glaring at all those other akumas and you seriously looked like you were going to shred them to pieces if they came any closer."

"In that moment, I probably would have done," Adrien admitted, remembering how blinded by fury he had been and how it had really been the only thing keeping him standing. "I was just so furious at him and what he had done to us and I believed he'd killed her so I was ready to kill him… stop looking at me like that, it's really embarrassing Nino!"

"I can't help it!" Nino laughed as Adrien glared at him outraged. "You just look so dreamy when you talk about her, I can't pass it up! It's too funny!" He then repeated the heavily-exaggerated impersonation of his friend, complete with clasped hands and a lovesick expression that bordered on caricature. "You really are too far gone!"

Adrien just planted his face back into the safety of his palm. He would have normally retorted with the fact he wasn't the only one who fell hard for an akuma but right now he didn't know if that was safe territory or not, as anything could have happened to Alya. He did know one thing; Nino was never going to let him live this down. "Just tell me about what happened after you couldn't contact me please." He said exasperated as Nino gave another laugh.

"Alright, alright. So, after you disappeared from our radars, I figured that we should follow the rest of your plan and go to the location we'd been given by Reflekta and Princess Fragrance. I didn't really want to as I wanted to try and find you but I knew that was what you'd have said to do." He looked over at him for confirmation and Adrien gave an approving nod. That is exactly what he would have told him and both of them knew it. "So we practically raced there to find the warehouse and when we got there, everything was boarded up- I found out afterwards that the thing had been abandoned years ago and nobody had seemingly touched it for about twenty years but when you looked at it closely, you could tell the whole thing had been re-enforced not long before. It was like a nuclear bunker so there was no way of getting in without busting our way in and so we spent a while getting everything in place and then boom!" He gave a satisfied smile at the memory and Adrien had to smile too. He almost wished he had been there with him just to see how excited he would have got at it.

"So then, once the dust all clears, I run in and see you standing in the middle of a circle, surrounded by akumas with a maskless Ladybug in a pool of blood… I couldn't believe it. I honestly thought I'd walked into a madhouse and lost my mind, the whole scene was just crazy. Then, as I was shouting orders at everyone, you started swaying on your feet and I could tell you were about to faint so I ran to grab you. I managed to catch you just in time- I was scared you were going to land on her and then when I realised it was Marinette, I was this close to dropping you again…" He shook his head like he still couldn't take it all in before he continued. "After that, it's pretty much a blur- all of the akumas were arrested, including Hawkmoth. Man, he was spitting feathers as we dragged him to the police van, all he kept yelling was that he had been betrayed and about you and Ladybug…it took five guys to get him locked up and quiet."

"What about the others?" Adrien asked curiously, the name Alya hanging unspoken in the air. "What did they do?"

"Some of them kicked up a fuss," Nino replied. "I'm glad we had so much of the force out or some might have managed to fight their way out of it but we still got them all. There was one I remember, some purple guy, who seemed really mad at you, he kept on screaming and screaming that you'd murdered Ladybug. Made some curses that would make a sailor blush. But the rest came quietly; it was like they all knew the game was up. Lady Wifi in particular was very meek- she practically ran up me and was almost desperate to be arrested." His face crumpled for a moment and Adrien was suddenly very glad he hadn't made a snide remark earlier about her.

"I'm sorry," He said, putting his hand on Nino's shoulder. "If I had known, I would have said something but I had no idea until last night after I found out who Ladybug was…"

"I know man," Nino said with a small smile. "We sure know how to pick them right? But it isn't really so bad. When I knew you were both safely at the hospital, I went back to the police station to question some of the akumas and I talked to her. We had a long conversation and she was just as horrified about what happened- Marinette's her best friend and they really mean a lot to each other, you can tell. Anyway, she agreed to talk and she's already supplied a lot of new and useful information about Hawkmoth, stuff that will be crucial when we try him. She didn't have any qualms about it; she said all her loyalty vanished the moment he shot her best friend. Reflekta and Princess Fragrance also agreed to further questioning once they heard we had arrested Hawkmoth and I'm certain more will once they smell the coffee and figure out which way the wind is blowing. With that amount of evidence, there's no way Hawkmoth's going to be able to slip out of this one."

"That's awesome!" Adrien beamed. His case was finally complete and Hawkmoth wasn't going to be a threat to Paris anymore. "I'm happy for you bro." His next question was hesitant and he looked down at his lap as he toyed with the bedsheets. "Do you… do you think Marinette would be willing to do the same?"

"I don't know but you could go and ask her." Nino told him, a sly knowing look crossing his eyes at the surprise on Adrien's face. "She's been awake for a little while now and when I went to see her briefly, she kept asking after you. I bet she'll be ecstatic to see you're OK."

"Really?" Nino had to hold himself back from bursting out laughing at Adrien's sudden grin and he could only nod as he suddenly wrestled himself away from the bedsheets. "I need to go and see her… for answers of course." He corrected himself seeing how Nino was only just keeping in control of his laughter as he got out of the bed and strode towards the door, his tired limbs now rejuvenated. "I just need to find the room…"

"Wait!" Nino called out to him just before he opened the door. He was almost out of his chair and on the floor with the effort of keeping his laughter in and his words were spluttered with giggles as he pointed at Adrien's back. "You… can't go out like that… you're in a…hahaha…hospital gown… you look ridiculous…haha…"

Adrien looked down at himself and almost went red again when he saw his friend had a point. The hospital gown he was dressed in was very baggy and loose around his battered body and made of a very thin material that hid nothing. There was nothing at the back, meaning at certain angles his entire body was exposed. He let out a huff as he heard a thud from behind him and loud laughter filled the air as Nino gave in to his laughter and fell rolling to the floor. Trying to ignore him, he looked around the room but there was no sign of his Chat Noir costume; that could literally be anywhere, he realised and he wasn't sure if he wanted it back. It had done its job after all. With a reluctant sigh, he looked back at the snorting mess that Nino had become and gave him a glare.

"OK, OK, it's all very funny. Now can you go and get me some proper clothes?"

OOO

About half an hour later, Adrien was making his way down an almost sparkling white hospital corridor, his eyes examining every door for the right number that would lead him into Marinette's room. The helpful nurse at the front desk had given him directions, scrawled across a random scrap of paper she had found and now he was clutching it between his fingers like it held all the answers to life itself. His eyes kept glancing back and forth between the doors and the room number written at the bottom of the paper- Room L26. He walked on, the footsteps of his socked feet making a padded sound on the sterile tiles of the floor as each door brought him closer to seeing Marinette again. He wondered what kind of state she would be in and he almost winced to think of the worst. Nino had said she was fine but he knew he wouldn't believe that until he saw it for himself.

He turned left and saw the first door was marked L1- he was getting close. He carried on walking, taking a brief glance down at himself and hoping he didn't look too ridiculous. Once Nino had been able to breathe properly again, he had gone out to find some proper clothes and returned with a white t-shirt, a pair of loose grey jogging bottoms that Adrien could have sworn came from the maternity department as they were that big on him and a pair of blue socks. He hadn't been able to get him any shoes so Adrien had to be content with almost slipping around on the clean tiles but at that moment, his attention was too locked on the doors to care, watching as each number brought him closer to his goal.

L7, L8, L9…

What was he going to say to her? That thought hadn't even entered his head and even now he had no clue. There was so much pent-up emotion between the two of them and they had gone through so much but it hadn't struck him until then how little they actually talked. They had always spoken through actions, letting bodies and sly smiles and smirks do their talking, and now after this greatest action of all, they only had words. And anyway, what do you say to someone who just saved your life and ruined their own? He felt grateful to her but he was also confused.

L15, L16, L17…

How much of what she had told him was a lie? That story at her parents bakery… had any of it been true at all? Plus, there was also the giant question that hung over her head of where her loyalties lay. Did she even have a side at all? Had everything been some sort of game? He rubbed his forehead with a cool steady hand; all these questions were doing nothing but giving him a headache. He looked up at the numbers and his stomach flipped at how close he was.

L24, L25… L26.

Now he was here. The door looked the same as its multiple cousins that were dotted along the wall, giving no indication as to who was behind it. Adrien could feel his heart hammering inside his ribcage as he raised his hand up to knock but still he hesitated. He felt ridiculous for it- him, scared of knocking on a door and facing the woman who had saved him?- but he still couldn't help a small dark voice in his head from wondering if she would actually want to see him. Would she hate him for betraying her, for effectively exposing her entire organisation and throwing all her friends in jail? He had only been an akuma for a short time but he had seen that they all were close- their gang had almost been like a small family and he had been responsible for taking that away.

After a deep breath, he steeled himself and closed his eyes as his knuckles firmly tapped on the door. For a moment, there was quiet before he heard a voice from within call out and he reached for the doorknob.

He carefully peered his head around the corner, almost using the door as a shield as he looked around a room that looked identical to his own. The curtains were wide open, flooding the room with light and making the walls almost blinding to look at, and he would have retreated had he not heard the crackling sound of voices that kept switching on and off in an electrical blur. He angled his head further round the door and saw the strange garbled sounds were coming from a small TV propped in the corner of the room. The screen flickered as it rapidly changed channels, each time only lingering for a few seconds on each one before it was switched again with a small click that came from the button being pressed. He could see a thin white arm held straight out, pointing the remote at the screen like it was a gun as they dismissed each channel with no mercy, and he followed it back up to the figure who was perched on the end of her bed with her back towards him. Her black hair was loose and spilling over her shoulders, hiding her face behind a layer of soft waves and she was dressed in a simple white dressing gown that she had tightly pulled around her tiny figure. He could hear her stabbing at the remote, each time with a little more frustration, and a little grunt escaped her lips when she finally had enough and jabbed at the off button, chucking the remote away and letting it land on the sheets behind her.

It was at that point when he knocked again and she spun around, her eyes instantly finding his and holding him there as they both halted. He opened his mouth to say something but closed it again when nothing came to his flustered brain. All he could do was stare at her small frame that appeared even tinier in the expanse of white around her and when he caught a glimpse of a bandage on her shoulder when she shuffled, he felt even worse. How was he not able to say anything? Had this been a bad idea?

In the end it was Marinette who spoke first. "Adrien." She choked out, the word sounding a little strangled as her hands began to fidget with the strings of her dressing gown. "I… didn't know you were up."

She winced at how weak she sounded and Adrien felt a rush of relief go through him; she was just as nervous and unsure as he was and that idea that Ladybug was freaked out was surprisingly reassuring. "Yeah, I only woke up a little while ago. Nino told me you were awake."

She chuckled at that, some colour coming to her cheeks as she smiled. "Figures he would know everything."

"I know." Adrien chortled, allowing the door to open a little more so he could half-step into the room. "He was there when I woke up. He seems to have organised everything just so I don't have to."

She laughed. "I'm not surprised, he knows exactly what you're like. He came in for a few minutes earlier and said he was going to bother you until you woke up. He really is a good friend."

"Yeah, he's the best." Adrien said before they both fell into silence again. Adrien was still only half in the door and he drummed his fingers on the wood as he desperately tried to speak. He wanted to ask her so many questions, it felt like there were a million hovering in the air between the two of them like a noxious gas, but none of them made it past his lips.

It took another moment before Marinette anxiously looked away from him before she timidly patted the space on the bed next to her. "You can come in if you want." She said, still now quite looking him in the eye and instead focusing on the blank TV screen. "You don't have to stand in the doorway."

"Thanks." He said as he stepped in and closed the door behind him. He went and sat down, the bed creaking a little at the added weight of another person, and as he sank into the smoothed-out sheets, he saw another tiny glance of a bandage at her collarbone which sent a wave of guilt crashing down on him. "Are you… OK?"

She turned and looked at him for a moment before she nodded. "Yeah I'm fine," She told him, her smile returning which made his face do the same. "You may not believe me but I've had worse."

He gave a splutter of a laugh and covered his mouth. "You're kidding me!"

"It's true!" She insisted, her eyes now glowing with mirth as she went to persuade him. "You don't get to be feared without having a few scrapes over the years. And how do you think I got that fast? That isn't the first bullet I've had to outrun."

"Wow." Adrien stared at her in astonishment. Even though he knew Ladybug and exactly what she was capable of- his time spent with her had given him enough evidence to believe anything she said- but it was still hard to believe that this slip of a woman had done all that. "You weren't kidding, huh?"

She snorted at that. "Would I lie to you Adrien?" She teased before she realised what she had said and slapped her hand over her mouth. Her eyes stared apologetically at him but the damage had already been done; his face now held a gloomy air at the memory of what they had both discovered last night and his eyes now turned away from her, the green now stormy with emotions. They both fell silent for a moment, Marinette's hand slowly falling to her lap as she waited for him to speak. When he did, his voice shook slightly and he still didn't look back at her.

"How much was a lie Marinette?" He asked softly, not even sounding angry which made her feel ten times worse. "I'm still so confused about where you lie in this. You work for him but all those times at the police station… I can't believe you faked it all. And that story you told about wanting to be an officer… was that all lies too?"

"No!" She blurted out, her hand suddenly shooting out to grip his shoulder and force him to look at her. "I lied about a lot of things to a lot of people but not all of it was. I was ordered by Hawkmoth to get on the case but wanting to know you and Nino… that was all genuine. You guys were so welcoming to me, how could I not? And that story I told you, all of it was true. I just didn't tell you the rest of it."

"The rest of it?" Adrien repeated dumbly as he stared back. She nervously started to play with the string on her dressing gown again but he stopped her by clasping both of his hands over her own and placing them down on her lap. He saw her cheeks go red and he could feel his own coming out in sympathy but he ignored it and continued to implore her with his expression. "What happened after that?"

She looked hesitant and surprisingly afraid, her hands shaking under his touch as her cheeks only flushed into a deeper shade of crimson, almost making her look like her mask was back on her face. "You…you really want to know?" Her voice was so tiny, it was a wonder he heard it and his answer was to gently lift one hand and brush her cheek softly, letting her lean into the touch slightly in support.

"Yes. Please?"

She almost giggled at the pleading word, causing them both to give small smiles at the absurdity of their situation. How on earth had they got to this? Both wondered before Marinette gave a little hiccup and a small nod.

"OK. Well, at the bakery… everything I told you was true. The men coming to take our money, the fear it put in all of us, the night when I knocked them out cold… that was true, every word. I only missed out a few details. Those men, they were Hawkmoth's men. They weren't akumas, just members of some smaller gang he used for protection rackets. They were little more than no name thugs but I didn't know that then. I had no clue they were linked to him, I just knew they were men after my parents."

She gave a little sniff, like she was angry at her past self for not seeing what was now obvious, before she went on, her hands slipping from his and retreating back to her lap.

"Anyway, a few nights after that incident, my parents went out again and I got another knock on the door. There were two other men there, both in the same long coats, and I was terrified. I thought they were there to murder me for what had happened and I nearly slammed the door in their faces but they held it open so I couldn't. I remember just standing on the doorstep shaking, thinking I was going to die at any time and hoping it would be swift, when one of them said that they weren't here to hurt me, only to pick me up. I was really confused at that. I had no clue what they wanted with me but they didn't say anything else when I asked; they just told me to lock up the bakery and follow them. I suppose it was stupid and naïve of me to do it but it felt like I had no choice. It was like I was powerless all over again and no matter how much I hated it, I still had to do it.

They took me across the city in a car with blacked-out windows so I had no idea where we were. After we'd been driving for a long while, I suspect the driver threw in a lot of detours to confuse me, we stopped and I was led out of the car and into some strange warehouse I'd never seen before. I think you know the place." She gave him a small smirk at that and, despite the shiver that went over him, he still managed to raise an eyebrow back, telling her to carry on. "It was all dark at first and I couldn't see a thing. I was convinced I was going to die there and all I could think of was how my parents would react when they came home and found me gone. It almost made me cry but I didn't show it. The last thing I wanted to do was show my fear to them. I think that was what impressed him at first because the next thing I remember, there was a man standing in front of me in a purple suit with a mask over his face. He was smiling at me, a big wide grin with all his teeth showing and I remember he cupped his fingers under my chin and made me look up at him.

"So pretty," He said, still with that grin as he kept turning my head around. "And not frightened at all. You wear an excellent mask, my dear."

He then kept talking to me, asking me all these questions about myself. It was so surreal; there I was in a dark location that I'd been forced to, talking to the most feared man in the whole of Paris and yet he just seemed to be making idle chit-chat. His voice was really calm and soothing and after a while, he had me opening up to him. You may not believe me but he can be quite charming when he wants to be."

Adrien pulled a face at the thought of Hawkmoth being anything like that and Marinette laughed.

"Yeah I know but just believe me on this one. He asked me about what happened that night, how exactly I took out his men and when I told him, he seemed impressed. When he then asked me what I wanted to do for a job and I told him I was training to be a cop, his eyes just lit up and I suddenly felt scared again. There was something in those eyes that just screamed evil but I stayed. I think I must have been rooted to the spot because when he then took my hand and kissed it, I couldn't move my legs. I just stood there staring back at him as he told me he had a proposition that would benefit both of us greatly."

She bit her lip hard, making a red spot form on her pink lips before she hastily licked it away. "He told me I was perfect for being an akuma- nobody had ever stood up to him like that and he wanted my skills. He said he liked the fact that I could keep my emotions under lock and key and he even said I had the right athletic build." She pulled a sickened face at that and Adrien felt a stab of hot anger at the thought. From what he had seen, it wasn't too hard to picture Hawkmoth's eyes roaming over her slight body greedily as he drank her in and it was enough to make him want to punch his masked face. "This was his deal. If I became one of his akumas, he would leave my parent's bakery alone. I would have to train hard, push myself to do all the things I never thought I would ever do to prove my loyalty to him or else, he told me, he would order for my parents to be targeted and forced to pay sums of money they couldn't afford. There was no hint of doubt in my mind when I agreed. I knew what they had worked for, how hard they had struggled to get that bakery and I wasn't going to be the one to have it snatched from them." Her face took on a determined glow and he could tell from one look that she didn't regret her decision one bit. "And so after that, after he made his promise, I became Ladybug."

She gave a shrug as she looked back up at him, her eyes now full of worry. "You don't hate me now, do you?"

"Hate you?" Adrien was taken aback by that, his own eyes growing wide as he looked at her. "I couldn't ever hate you Marinette, you know that. I can't think of anyone else who could be as brave as that and, given that choice, I can't think of anyone who wouldn't have done the same. If Hawkmoth had threatened my family like that, I would have become an akuma just to protect them." He gave her a small calming smile and she suddenly felt like a giant weight had been lifted from her shoulders. "And come to think of it, a lot of things now make sense."

She raised a questioning eyebrow at him. "Like what?"

"Something Reflekta said when we were questioning her." Adrien went on to explain. "She said something about Hawkmoth always keeping his promises. Nino and I thought that was a strange thing for somebody to say but now it makes sense. Hawkmoth kept all the loyalty of his akumas by making them a promise, didn't he?"

Marinette nodded, her smile now wider and proud. "That's exactly it. Every single akuma was given something in return for their service and that can be taken away from them at any time. That's why everybody is so loyal to him. Mine was the promise that my parent's bakery would be safe but everybody's is different. Alya was recruited after she was nearly fired from her job for taking a photo of the inside of somebody's locker. That person complained about a breach of privacy and if it hadn't been for Hawkmoth promising to keep her there, she would have never been able to launch her dream career. Nathanaël was tired of being picked on and teased for his art so Hawkmoth promised him an outlet for it where everybody would admire his creations. We all knew what would happen if we ever slacked off or didn't try- he could so easily take what he had given us away and that was something we couldn't bear. It would have destroyed us." She looked regretful for a moment before she looked back at him with another smirk. "You know, I really thought you would have figured it out sooner what with the hint I told Juleka to give you."

"Wait, what?" Adrien nearly jumped from his seat as he stared at her with his mouth agape. "What do you mean a hint? And who's Juleka?"

"Reflekta, you numbskull." Marinette giggled, sticking out her tongue at him as his cheeks burned red with how cute she looked. "Before you questioned her, I went in and told her what to say." She raised her eyebrow again sarcastically as she watched his shocked face. "What, you really think an akuma would give that much away on their first interrogation? I admit, you two were good and she may have spilled a little more than necessary but she kept to the script pretty well. I was proud of her."

"Hold the phone," Adrien stopped her, the discovery still not sinking in. "You gave us hints? The whole time, you were giving us hints?"

"Of course I was." She told him. "I probably shouldn't have given you so many since without that you'd have never infiltrated us but I still did it. Why do you think I brought you to meet everyone in the café? It wasn't because I had a death wish, I was hoping you'd pick up on some clues with that big brain of yours. I couldn't give you too many, that's why I had to ward the others off when we when on that stakeout but I still wanted to help you."

"But why?" Adrien stared at her in total disbelief. "Why would you want us to catch you? You knew you were our target from the beginning but still you helped us. Why?"

"I don't know." She answered, her voice soft and honest as she looked away from him and back at the blank TV screen like that might reveal everything. "I guess in a weird way I wanted to be caught. I never enjoyed deceiving anyone at the station, it made me feel like such a phony whenever I was there. I never told anyone but from the start I was leaving hints in akuma cases. Some took them, others never found them, some people took them to extremes…" She looked pointedly at Adrien in that moment and he found himself laughing. "But I still did it. You could say I was on both sides but I never wanted to be. I just wanted to be worth something, that's all."

Her head dropped again and Adrien was suddenly reminded of two different encounters that he now realised were eerily similar. The first was that night after his first raid, when he had stood on that rooftop with Ladybug and watched the stars together. She had wondered about each star being another universe and then pondered out loud "Maybe I'll be worth something in one of them." The second was the morning he had spent with Marinette at the bakery when she had also made a comment about it making her feel worth something. He saw her shoulders slump and he knew he had found the crack in her armour. She had pushed herself in both her identities, become Marinette the successful cop and Ladybug the feared criminal, because inside she felt useless for giving in to Hawkmoth and letting herself become like this. Slowly, he inched his hand closer to her and when she looked around at him, his hand was over hers like he was protecting it and his forehead was barely a few centimetres from her own.

"You're not worthless Mari," He said, his voice so quiet that nobody else could have possibly heard him, his words just for her. "I don't want you ever thinking that. Somebody as wonderfully talented as you could never be worthless, how could you be if you were both an amazing police officer and a skilled criminal, even that I have to admit is pretty incredible. You did all that and nobody ever knew. You're a good person at heart Mari, I know it and soon everybody else will too."

Marinette nearly sobbed when she saw how sincere his eyes were. Even after all she had done and all she had told him, his eyes still held those same emotions that she had seen back at the warehouse, back when they both had thought he was on the edge of death. She didn't know her tears of relief and joy had escaped her eyes until he wiped them away from her, his fingers gentle on her skin like he was handling something precious. Slowly she bumped her forehead to his and peered at him shyly from under the cover of her wet eyelashes. He smiled at her again and she almost wanted to giggle. The Ladybug part of her wanted to scold herself for acting like a ten-year-old girl with her first crush but she really didn't care. All that mattered now was that he was still there, still with her and she knew now he would be until the very end of this sticky mess and beyond.

"Adrien?" She asked and she felt him hum in response. "What's going to happen to me now?"

He looked at her with his eyes more focused, no longer in a daydream, but he didn't pull away. "Well that's why I'm here," He told her calmly. "I was going to ask you if you would be willing to stand as a witness for Hawkmoth's trial. If you do, the force will be willing to make a deal with you. Given your previous reputation there, along with my backing and Nino's, we should be able to get you a new kind of job, one where you'll be able to use your own experience and knowledge as Ladybug to help us round up the last straggling ends of his empire. That's what I'll be pushing for anyway and if I become the new chief like Nino thinks I'll be, there won't be anything to stop me." He gave her a sly smirk, one she had grown to associate with a certain black cat, and wove her fingers with his own. "So Marinette, what do you say?"

She returned his smirk with a smile of her own, a wicked one he had seen a million times before underneath a red spotted mask and one that still had the power to turn his insides into jelly. "It does have appeal," She purred, drawing her face closer to his so he could feel her breath fanning his already-warmed cheeks. "But won't I still have to be supervised?"

His face split into a wide grin as his free fingers found their way to her chin. "I think that given your record that will have to be the case," He murmured, his lips close to brushing over her own. "But don't worry about it. You're under my arrest now- and I'm not planning to let you out of my sight."

 _It's done! I finally finished it! Wow… I'm sorry I left you all on a cliffhanger but I was hoping this wasn't going to take as long- firstly the chapter is way longer than I thought and secondly I've had a lot on my plate that I didn't see coming. I hope this ending makes up for the wait, I wanted to make it as good as I could for you guys._

 _On a final note, thank you all for reading this story and giving it your support. With all this stuff happening, I never would have finished it without your amazing reviews- they did really mean the world. I'm really proud of this and I hope you all loved it too._

 _CursedRedRose out :)_


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